Global helicopter leasing firm Macquarie Rotorcraft Limited (MRL) was sold to SMFL LCI Helicopters (SMFLH), a joint venture formed in 2020 between Sumitomo Mitsui Finance & Leasing (SMFL) and LCI Investment. Terms of the purchase were not disclosed.

Established in 2013, MRL has a fleet of approximately 120 helicopters that operate in the offshore transport, aeromedical, search-and-rescue, and utility sectors. Under the new organization, which will be managed by Libra Group subsidiary LCI, the company expects that number will increase to more than 300 aircraft, including those in SMFLH’s fleet. SMFLH has focused on midsize twins such as the Leonardo AW139 and AW169, as well as the Airbus Helicopters H145.

LCI CEO Jaspal Jandu described two driver trends behind the purchase. The first is a recent Airbus Helicopters study that predicted demand for 16,000 new rotorcraft worldwide worth approximately $130 billion over the next two decades.

Under that assessment, Jandu notes that lessors will need access to equipment, finance, and experienced teams of people across multiple professional disciplines, which he believes will favor larger lessors with robust leasing platforms and a track record of operations and capital raising.

The second Jandu described as increasingly larger fleet requirements from SMFLH’s existing operators, particularly in the midsize-twin helicopter category. The acquisition of Macquarie will add six more helicopter types to the SMFLH's fleet, along with 21 new customers and 14 additional countries of operation.

“This agreement marks an exciting opportunity to create scale, value, and efficiency in a disciplined manner across the helicopter leasing sector,” Jandu told AIN. “Today’s helicopter operators and end users are demanding more creative capacity and finance options at the outset of any decision-making process. With the significant increase in scale this acquisition brings, we can offer more comprehensive, versatile, and efficient leasing solutions across the globe.”