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MTU Maintenance Zhuhai, a 50/50 joint venture between MTU Aero Engines and China Southern Airlines, celebrates its 25th anniversary. Founded in 2001 as a greenfield operation, the company is now well on its way to becoming the world's largest maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility for narrowbody aircraft engines.
"In 25 years, the partnership between China Southern Airlines and MTU Aero Engines has created one of the most successful aerospace joint ventures in the industry and one that continues to grow," says Li Xin, General Manager of China Southern Technics and Chairman of MTU Maintenance Zhuhai.
Since its establishment, it has completed more than 5,000 shop visits and today serves more than 130 airlines, lessors and MRO partners worldwide. With over 1,600 employees across two locations, the facility is a tribute to the long-standing partnership between MTU Aero Engines and China Southern Airlines.
"MTU Maintenance Zhuhai has evolved into what will soon be the world's largest narrowbody engine shop. It enjoys an outstanding reputation for quality, turnaround times and customer focus," adds Dr. Ottmar Pfänder, Chief Program Officer at MTU Aero Engines. "As the Asian aviation market continues to expand, we are fully committed to investing in this partnership and meeting our customers' needs with the capacity and expertise they require."
The Asia-Pacific aviation market shows no signs of slowing down. To meet this growing demand, MTU Maintenance Zhuhai has steadily expanded its portfolio over the past 25 years, adding LEAP and PW1100G-JM engines to its original V2500 and CFM56 capabilities. In 2025, the company opened a second facility in the neighboring Jinwan district, providing dedicated GTF capacity. The joint venture agreement between both shareholders was extended until 2050 in 2018, underscoring their shared confidence in the facility's future.
"I am incredibly proud of what our team has achieved," emphasizes Gert Wagner, President and CEO of MTU Maintenance Zhuhai. "The opening of our Jinwan facility last year, which redelivered more than 60 engines in its first year of operations alone, has further strengthened our market position. With both sites combined, we are now ramping up to a capacity of up to 700 shop visits per year and are well equipped to continue our growth trajectory." The site is also continuously implementing digitalization initiatives from new operating and support systems to 3D scanning, customer apps as well as measures towards becoming an entirely paperless shop.
MTU Maintenance Zhuhai benefits from its strategic location in Guangdong - Hong Kong – Macau Greater Bay Area. The facility performs approximately 80 percent of parts repairs in-house and operates two state-of-the-art test cells. A dedicated training center, opened in 2023, trains up to 100 participants annually, helping secure the skilled workforce needed for the company's continued expansion. In 2025, MTU Maintenance Lease Services also opened a parts supply warehouse in Zhuhai, further strengthening the local support infrastructure for customers across Asia and beyond.
