Dubai, The Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) announced today that Aerostructures Middle East Services, FZCO (AMES), a 50/50 joint venture company created by Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance and Aircelle, SAFRAN Group has signed a lease agreement with Jafza to establish its operating base at Jebel Ali Free Zone.

Clearing the way for an early 2010 start-up of overhaul and repair services for jet engine nacelles. The agreement was signed at the Jafza Pavilion at the Dubai Airshow 2009, the foremost aerospace event in the Middle East and the fastest growing airshow in the world.

The agreement entitles AMES to set up its Jafza maintenance centre in a 10,000 square metre facility, where the company will offer Middle East customers a full range of services for nacelles on engines from CFM International, General Electric, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce.   AMES brings together the expertise of Air France Industries as a top provider of maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services with Aircelle’s capabilities as a leading original equipment manufacturer of small, medium and large engine nacelles.

The driving factor behind AMES’ creation is the opportunity to support the Middle East’s sizable jetliner fleets of Airbus A320s, A330s, A340-500/600s, A380s and Boeing 777s. With its base in Jafza – which offers excellent logistics and operational facilities – AMES will be positioned to provide high quality services that are reactive and competitive for customers throughout the region. The new facility will also be positioned well to serve fleets for the upcoming Al Maktoum International Airport planned as the world’s largest passenger and cargo hub.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Dubai Airshow 2009, Ibrahim Al Janahi, Chief Commercial Officer, Jafza said: “Due to its proximity to both the Jebel Ali port and the Al Maktoum Airport, the Jebel Ali Free Zone is the perfect base for a first-rate aviation repair and overhaul operational facility such as Aerostructures Middle East Services. We have collaborated with Dubai World Central for the formation of the Dubai Logistics Corridor, linking sea, land and air, bringing together for the first time in the Middle East all of the components needed to create a multi-modal logistics platform. With the new synergies in place, we are creating the right ground for growth of companies in the aviation industry. We sincerely hope this places AMES in a trajectory of efficiency and growth.”

“Proximity to the customer is vital in today’s highly competitive environment, and the Jebel Ali Free Zone location brings our service solutions into the heart of the Middle East airline marketplace,” said AMES General Manager Antoine Succar.   Commenting on the joint venture’s offering of tailored capabilities, François Vitti, the AMES Manager of Operations and Customer Support, explained: “We can support our customers by optimizing their maintenance programs, and also respond to airlines’ specific needs, including the on-wing inspection and repair of engine podding.”

Mansoor Al Bastaki, Sales Manager – Europe, Jafza visited Aircelle and Air France Headquarters in Paris several times last year to discuss the company’s future strategies and expansion plans and how Jafza could help facilitate the company’s growth in the region. He said: “We take great care in building long-term relationships with our customers – who are essentially our business partners – and take even greater care in creating the right conditions for their growth with world-class infrastructure and business-friendly, efficiency-driven services and policies.”

Source: Press Release (Aerostructures Middle East Services -AMES)