GMR Hyderabad Aviation SEZ Limited (GHASL), a fully-owned subsidiary of GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (GHIAL) has signed a Land Lease Agreement with Safran Aircraft Engines Services India Pvt. Ltd (SAESIPL).
SAESIPL is an arm of the Paris-based Safran a global player in aircraft propulsion and equipment, space and defence markets.
“We are excited to announce that Safran has chosen GMR Industrial Park after a thorough global assessment and has entered a lease agreement to set up one of the largest Engine MROs in the world,’‘ Aman Kapoor, CEO GMR Airport Land Development said in a release.
“The facility will initially have the capacity to service 100 engines per annum, which will gradually increase, to around 300 engines by 2035. It will also generate ample employment opportunities in the state of Telangana,’‘ he added.
Nicolas Potier, Vice President, Support and Services of Safran Aircraft Engines, said: “This MRO project, which is a significant investment in our future in India, will bring additional key capacity to support the operations of our airlines customers and will also contribute to the extension of the aeronautical ecosystem in the Hyderabad International Airport area.”
As per the agreement, GHASL will lease land to Safran who will build and operate the Engine MRO facility for LEAP turbofan engines. Spread across 23.5 acres of the land parcel within SEZ area of GMR Aerospace and Industrial Park, this facility will occupy around 36,500 sqm of built-up space.
The construction of the facility will commence in September 2023. The facility is expected to be handed over in December 2024.
The proposed facility in Hyderabad will be the largest MRO center in the Safran Aircraft Engines network. Operations are set to commence in 2025 and will provide employment to about 1,000 workers at its peak operation capacity. It will operate on 100 per cent sustainable green energy utilised from the GMR Solar farm.
Safran is operating two Industrial facilities for Cable Harnessing and Aircraft Engine Component manufacturing within SEZ area of GMR Aerospace and Industrial Park. In addition, CFM, a JV of Safran with GE, is operating an Engine Maintenance training facility at the Park.
Safran is an International High-Technology Group specialised in 3 core businesses (Aviation, Space and Defence) having a turnover of €19 billion and an employee strength of 83,000 in 27 countries.