Malaysia Anticipates Domestic Component MRO Growth

SINGAPORE—Efforts to localize component MRO in Malaysia are expected to gather pace in the next few years as the country moves into the third stage of its 15-year plan to grow domestic aerospace revenues.

Malaysia launched its Blueprint 2030 strategy for the aerospace industry in 2015. The 15-year plan also saw the formation of the National Aerospace Industry Corporation Malaysia (NAICO Malaysia), a government agency monitoring the development of the country’s aerospace industry.

Next year will see the third stage of the plan commence, with RM55.2 billion ($13.1 billion) in revenues targeted by 2030 comprised of MRO, manufacturing, training and research. Shamsul Kamar Abu Samah, CEO of NAICO Malaysia, estimates the country will generate around RM30 billion in 2025 for the industry excluding revenue from Malaysia-based airlines.

Samah said the country has around RM600 million of MRO-related projects in place. He says that next month, a business from Singapore-based SIA Engineering will commence operating as Base Maintenance Malaysia (BMM). The facility is located at Subang Airport in Selangor and will comprise two hangars that can perform up to six concurrent aircraft checks for Airbus A350, Boeing 777 and 787 aircraft.

“We anticipate that there will be a huge development, particularly to localize certain activities for aircraft and engine components in Malaysia and the growth will be tremendous,” he said. Samah said that the driver of this is the expansion of three large heavy maintenance providers in the country: MAB Engineering, Asia Digital Engineering and the soon-to-commence BMM operation.

He also highlighted other component-focused ventures in the country either recently established or expanding their operations. These include the relocation and expansion of Collins Aerospace’s operation in Subang, where it repairs systems including air cycle machines, heat exchangers, propellers, engine components and actuation systems.

He also cites SIA Engineering-owned Asia-Pacific Aircraft Component Services business in Shah Alam, which repairs more than 600 part numbers for A320, A330, 737, CFM56 and PW4000 components and the company’s joint venture with Eaton Aerospace focusing on Eaton-manufactured components on aircraft fuel and hydraulics systems. “We would like the component MRO activity to be done locally, due to the fact that we will save in terms of cost as well as turnaround times,” he said.

Manufacturing will play an important role in the future. Boeing Composites Malaysia, relaunched last year, produces composite parts and subassemblies for all Boeing commercial aircraft. Last month, domestic industrial company Composites Technology Research Malaysia acquired the Malaysian operation of Spirit AeroSystems, taking control of its Subang facility and associated businesses. “The acquisition will transform Malaysia into a tier one organization to Boeing and Airbus.”

To facilitate future growth, the country has also set out to increase its aerospace industry workforce. Samah estimated that since the launch of Blueprint 2030 in 2015, it has brought in around 30,000 people and said an additional 2,000 to 3,000 are needed by 2030.