Throughout the downturn of the past few years, the aftermarket business of Rolls-Royce civil aerospace has carried on its relentless growth.
Overall group revenues from services, including its military and marine businesses, now represents 50% of all sales. Civil aftermarket sales reached £1.4 billion last year or 53% of sales.
"We have never really had a downturn in our (MRO) maintenance, repair and overhaul business," says David Highgate, director of marketing and business development, civil aerospace. Although the business "paused for breath" in 2002, sales rose once again last year and are expected to grow further this year.
The services group at Rolls-Royce is "reaping the harvest" that the company's strong sales record in new engines have sown, says Highgate, as it captures an increasing amount of overhaul work on its own powerplants.
Ventures
It has also managed this growth through an expanding number of global MRO joint ventures and partnerships.
Just prior to the show, the company broke ground on a new £30 million engine shop at its huge Derby engine manufacturing and repair site. This will benefit from its experience of developing engine shops with its partners around the globe and technology advances gained through building new engines, says Highgate.
The Derby shop, which will be on stream in about a year's time, will work up to a capacity of overhauling 250 engines per year. It will concentrate on servicing Trents and RB211s.
MARK PILLING
Source: Flight Daily News
