The Engine Services division of Lufthansa Technik AG in Hamburg, Germany, is gearing up for the future.

With the simultaneous opening of a new competence centre for engine case repair and an X-ray centre for engine components of all different sizes, Lufthansa Technik is preparing for future engine types and a growing business in engine maintenance. The company invested around €7 million.

State-of-the-art tools and equipment are the basis for the introduction of new repair procedures, the company said.

At the same time, the variety of engine types overhauled here can be increased significantly, and turnaround time can be reduced to just three weeks. The division assumes that orders for this product will double over the coming three years.

The new X-ray centre with its two systems can screen components flexibly, from the smallest engine blade up to future engine cases with a diameter of 3.5 m - and do so digitally as well as in analog mode. Recurring inspection requirements can be stored and the inspections automated in the future. Planning for a second stage of construction in 2019 is already under way; it will extend capacity yet again.

"Our new Center of Excellence bundles the competence needed for around 450 repair procedures, some of which are very complex. With our employees' know-how and the state-of-the-art tools and equipment we now have available, we have created a foundation to meet the highest quality standards even for future engine types," says Marcel Rose, Head of the Competence Center in the Engine Services division at Lufthansa Technik. "I'm very proud to have reached this milestone in further development with the high commitment, the knowledge and skills of my team."

Recently Lufthansa Technik made the decision to offer on-wing and MRO services for the new LEAP-1A (Airbus A320neo) and -1B (Boeing 737 MAX) engines from CFM International.

With this step, Lufthansa Technik has become one of the first MRO providers to support customers around the world as early as the initial phase of their LEAP operations.

These engines will be overhauled at the Hamburg facility. In parallel, preparations are underway in Hamburg to build up capacity for engine part repairs and services for other engine types.

With some 35 subsidiaries and affiliates, the Lufthansa Technik Group is one of the leading providers of technical aircraft services in the world. Certified internationally as maintenance, production and design organisation, the company has a workforce of more than 25,000 employees.

Lufthansa Technik's portfolio covers the entire range of services for commercial and VIP/special mission aircraft, engines, components and landing gear in the areas of digital fleet support, maintenance, repair, overhaul, modification, completion and conversion as well as the manufacture of innovative cabin products.