The Franco-Dutch maintenance company Air France Industries-KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M) has made several announcements here at the Paris Air Show this week. The latest–on June 21–is an agreement between AFI KLM E&M and the British engine-maker Rolls-Royce for the Trent XWB, which powers the Airbus A350XWB. The MRO is to become part of the Rolls-Royce CareNetwork under a MRO program coordinated by Rolls-Royce.

AFI KLM E&M is to develop industrial capabilities dedicated to the Trent XWB and repair solutions devoted to Rolls-Royce engine parts and components. The airline side of Air France KLM Group has 25 A350 on order and further 25 options. « We are very happy to join the CareNetwork; this agreement is a major milestone in our commitment to grow », said Anne Brachet, EVP of AFI KLM E&M in a press conference held at the airshow, adding, « we will be soon ready to sell our repairs solutions to third party customers ».

The MRO compagny has also signed a component repair joint venture (50-50) with the MRO Sabena Technics to support A320 and ATR in Singapore’s new Seletar aviation cluster. Both partners want to take advantage of the fast growing demand for MRO services in South-East of Asia. June 12, there also the introducing of the new joint venture between Safran and AFI KLM E&M, Airfoils Advanced Solutions, a new aircraft engine component facility in the North of France, which will start its operations late 2018 with 250 employees. This shop will be able to repair 200,000 blades per year, for engines such as CFM56, GE90, Sam146. 

AFI KLM E&M also emphasize its new predictive aircraft maintenance tool Prognos, announced just before the opening day of the Paris Air Show. Developped as part of the group’s « MRO Lab » R&D program, those applications are based on gathering and analysis of technical data generated by aircraft fleets to further improve maintenance operations. « Digital is key for us, so we invest a lot in Prognos and it’s now operationnal on A380, 787 and A350 ». The MRO compagny use it for its own fleet, but will extend it to its third party clients, which represents roughly 200 airlines and more than 2000 aircrafts supported.

AFI KLM E&M is a key part of the french-dutch group. « We have strong ambition for our MRO compagny. AFI KLM E&M is one of the leader in the world », said Jean-Marc Janaillac, chairman and CEO of Air France KLM Group. Last year have been good for the compagny with a 4,9-percent increase in revenues at €4,2 billion and an 11-percent in operationnal profit at €240 million. Moreover, the order book has increasing by 6-percent at €8,9 billion. The MRO compagny wants to reach €10 billion by 2019.