​Sanad boosts engine business with new GE deals

With deals announced at the recent Dubai Airshow, Sanad Aerotech is on track to expand its engine overhaul output from the 125 expected in 2019 to 175-200 units by 2021, says Mansoor Janahi, chief executive of the Abu Dhabi-based MRO specialist.

Prior to the show, this independent engine MRO operator, formerly the engine business of Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies, was focused mainly on Rolls-Royce Trent 700 and International Aero Engines V2500 engines for its third-party offering.

During the event it signed two significant deals, upgrading its quick turn agreement for GE Aviation GEnx-1B engines to full overhaul of the type and becoming the first MRO in the Middle East and Africa authorised to service the CFM International Leap engine.

“Establishing our capability on the Leap platform gives us a very nice diversified product mix and on this engine a first mover advantage,” says Janahi. Sanad will offer quick turns on 237 Leap engines until 2030 as part of the agreement.

However, despite working on the V2500, Sanad has no plans to bid for Pratt & Whitney’s PW1000G GTF family just yet. “It has not come on our radar at the moment,” says Janahi.

Sanad’s new GEnx deal - it has been working on the widebody engine since 2013 - will be worth $140 million over the 15-year term of the agreement, says Janahi. “We will work on 317 engines in that period and we are ramping up now.”

The firm is also increasing its capacity on Trent 700s as this market opportunity grows. “We are the only independent Trent 700 [MRO] globally and we are trebling our capacity on that product line to 75 engines by 2021,” explains Janahi.

“Our growth cements Abu Dhabi’s position as a leader in global MRO,” says Janahi. Sanad Aerotech is the “engines champion” in owner Mubadala’s aerospace business. The grouping includes lessor Sanad Capital and an industrial gas turbine business.

The former ADAT was transferred from Mubadala to Etihad Airways in 2014 and rebranded Etihad Engineering. The engine business was originally renamed Turbine Services & Solution (TS&S), and became Sanad Aerotech earlier this year.