The customized cabins of VIP aircraft represent the pinnacle of interior design art and science—as well as functionality and luxury. But these interiors aren’t only for new execliners: Many Airbus Corporate Jets (ACJs) and Boeing Business Jets (BBJs) have been in service a decade or more, and with a new generation of onboard connectivity equipment now available, demand is growing for interior refurbishments and communication system upgrades, as well. At ABACE 2018, the world’s leading aircraft completion specialists and support services showcase a complete range of all these design, fabrication, refurbishment, and upgrade capabilities. Here are a few of the highlights attendees can see:

Having outfitted almost 30 VIP airliners for customers in China and APAC, Germany’s Lufthansa Technik AG (LHT; Booth H2314) is well known in the region for its completion and refurbishment capabilities. At ABACE, LHT’s “specific focus is on new technologies” and upgrade options for connectivity, said Jan Grube, director/head of Asia sales, VIP and special-mission aircraft. Centered by a finely detailed, large-scale model of a B787 Boeing Business Jet, its display gives attendees the chance to take a virtual 3D tour through LHT’s VIP cabin world.

Complementing its completions capabilities, LHT is also touting its support services for these aircraft. “We can offer our ACJ and BBJ customers a home for their maintenance needs at our VIP base in Hamburg,” said Grube. “Therefore, we are offering not only ‘Made in Germany’ cabin outfitting, but also maintenance and upgrades of the highest standards [at] a very competitive cost level.”

In addition to its Hamburg facility, LHT provides service in Dubai through its Lufthansa Technik Middle East subsidiary. Nonetheless, having a service center in China is “essential,” Grube said, and LHT is “currently exploring options with a local partner.”

As LHT’s display suggests, high-speed connectivity upgrades are perhaps the most in-demand in today’s interiors world. U.S.-based VIP aircraft completion specialist Aeria Luxury Interiors (Booth H1125), a division of Singapore’s ST Aerospace, has just been selected to install Ka-band communication systems in two Boeing Business Jets (BBJs). The installations will take place at AERIA Luxury Interiors in San Antonio, Texas, in the third quarter of 2018. Aeria, which expanded its facilities last year to incorporate a new cabinet and upholstery shop and a building for its design, sales and marketing teams, also performs completions on Airbus Corporate Jets. The company’s success in VIP completions over the years is attributed to "our attention to details and dedication to quality,” said Ron Soret, Aeria’s vice president and general manager of completions.

The haute interiors of Dassault Aviation’s Falcon Jets are renowned for their sophistication and elegance. Here in Shanghai, the French manufacturer (Chalet 8; SD08) is also highlighting the cabin refurbishments Dassault Falcon Services (DFS) offers for its in-service fleet. The interiors of legacy and current models alike can be restored “close to the original aircraft,” according to Thierry Salaun, vice president, service center marketing and sales. Dassault sees Asia—particularly Greater China—as “a key arena,” Salaun said, and the company is already “deeply involved in supporting customers in the region,” leveraging its access to Dassault’s manufacturing and engineering expertise. Meanwhile, the company is pursuing CAAC approvals for providing major maintenance under its own brand here, Salaun said.

U.S.-based BBJ completion specialist Greenpoint Technologies (Booth P708) is kicking off its 30th anniversary celebration at ABACE, where the company is showcasing its award-winning Azure VIP 787-9 interior, displayed in a one-twentieth scale model of the aircraft, said marketing director Christine Hadley. The 787 Dreamliner is becoming more popular as an executive aircraft, though the composite airframe presents more challenges for the completion process than do traditional metal airframes. Greenpoint has more than 300,000 hours of engineering design and development experience on the 787, according to Brett Neely, Greenpoint’s executive vice president.

Many completion centers boast of their ability to design and install interiors, but Aloft AeroArchitects (Booth H2500) is touting its ability to remove and put them back in place—perfectly. That’s important when executive airliners need heavy maintenance, as older executive airliners increasingly require. Aloft’s technicians and craftsmen are practiced in “the art of reinstalling the components with perfect fit and function the first time,” said John Eichten, Aloft’s senior vice president sales and marketing. “Every BBJ is an individual, custom work of art, and as experts on the BBJ platform, we’ve also become experts at managing the technical impacts of variance and individuality into our system of ensuring complete accuracy, efficiency and the highest degree of quality,” said Eichten.

Comlux America, the U.S. completion center of Switzerland’s Comlux Group (Booth P718), arrives in ABACE having just signed a contract with an undisclosed Asian customer to provide the VIP interior for an ACJ320neo, the next generation corporate jet from Airbus. The green aircraft is slated to arrive at the U.S. facility in September 2019 and be completed within 10 months, which Scott Meyer, CEO of Comlux Completion, called “one of the shortest completion cycles to date.”

Comlux America recently teamed with four executive airliner interior designers to develop multiple design and floorplan concepts for the neo and the BBJ MAX 8, Boeing’s next gen corporate jet. Attendees can see some of the designs from Alberto Pinto Design, DesignQ, Unique Aircraft, and Winch Design at the Comlux display here.

This is Asia’s first chance to meet the recently rebranded Fokker Techniek (Booth H2401), completions and refurbishment division of the Netherland’s GKN Aerospace. The subsidiary is “looking to put our name out as a ‘go to’ alternative to traditional, existing completion centers,” said Shaun Collins, chief commercial officer. He points to “the skills and talent and resources immediately available that Holland is renowned for.”

Looking ahead at the division’s prospects in the region, Collins said the Asian market “is becoming very, very active” for preowned executive airliners, creating many potential customers—and opportunities for refurbishment specialists. “Nobody wants to drive around in a 10-year-old Boeing with a 10-year-old interior anymore,” he said.

Narrow- and wide-body completion specialist Haeco Private Jet Solutions (HPJS; Booth H2422) of Xiamen, China, creates interiors based on feng shui and Zen principles. “Central to our design is bringing the philosophy of Asian heritage and culture into what is otherwise a very cold and mundane cabin,” said Henry Chan, the company’s vice president, commercial. However, while HPJC can turn its Zen-like interior concepts into a reality, the designs are mainly intended to suggest ideas to potential customers, said Chan. “If they like 50 percent of the elements, that’s a great place to start and get people talking.”

HPJC provides all necessary regulatory approvals for its installations. Most certification efforts today focus on meeting FAA and EASA regulations, notes Chan, but China’s GAAC certification requirements are a growing factor in completions work, and “our group is the only one that can deliver all three.” HPJC said it is the only authorized completion facility in the Asia-Pacific region for both Airbus and Boeing.

Switzerland’s Jet Aviation (Booth H1422) has a delegation of completion specialists available to meet with prospective customers here at the show, and the company “definitely foresees an increase in customers from Greater China,” said Matthew Woollaston, vice president, completions sales, and marketing. Jet Aviation is committed “to both beautiful design and craftsmanship, alongside the newest technologies,” he said. That technology includes its completions weight management process, creating “significantly lighter” interiors that enable completed aircraft to fly farther and/or carry more than standard weight interiors, according to Woollaston.

Signature Plating (Booth H2102) makes metal plated parts for aircraft manufacturers, refurbishment and completion centers, and individual aircraft owners. Here at the show, Signature is displaying its decorative plating products for aircraft cabins, and highlighting its ability to anodize parts, and color match metal parts and finishes.

“A lot of visitors will be descending on Shanghai from Europe, the Saudi State, and from Turkey and the Soviet Union, and we want to make sure that any of them who haven’t experienced the incredible customer service and response we provide, know we’re available,” said Zane Leake, Signature’s president. “It’s a very specific skill set—we don’t have employees, we have artists.”