Mubadala unit to reveal jet engine facility details 'soon'

Turbine Services & Solutions Group project for Rolls-Royce and GE and new deputy chief executive says further growth expected

An aircraft enginen at the Rolls-Royce exhibition stand at the 1Dubai Airshow. Natalie Naccache/Bloomberg

The Turbine Services & Solutions Group (TS&S), a wholly owned subsidiary of Abu Dhabi's Mubadala Investment Company, expects to unveil details of the facilities it will build for GE and Rolls-Royce engines, “before the end of the year”, as it ramps up its aerospace business in the UAE, the firm’s newly appointed deputy chief executive said.

Mansoor Janahi, previously the vice-president of finance, real estate and infrastructure at Mubadala, was appointed as deputy chief executive of TS&S on Wednesday.

"We are expanding on agreements we signed with Rolls-Royce and GE in 2013 to help build their capabilities in the region. The detailed plans will most likely be announced before the end of the year, hopefully very soon," Mr Janahi told The National shortly after his appointment.

The plans are to build either one or more service facilities for the two aviation and industrial engine manufacturers, although Mr Janahi did not talk about the specifics.

Mubadala signed deals with GE Aviation and Rolls-Royce at the 2013 Dubai Airshow to establish GEnx and XWB engine maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) centres in Al Ain. There was also a combined commitment of US$1 billion from the two engine-makers for parts production.

GE Aviation’s GEnx engine is used on Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, while the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engine is used on Airbus A350s.

The UAE is expanding its aviation manufacturing and MRO sectors, where it anticipates strong demand from customers on the back of the country’s fast-growing aviation industry. The country aims to become an “established global aerospace hub”.

This week, Mubadala said it would invest Dh82.5 million in research and development for its aerospace, renewables and ICT sectors over the next five years.

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TS&S, meanwhile, announced the successful delivery of the first full-life overhaul on a Siemens Industrial Trent gas turbine at its existing facility.

Also this week, Mubadala’s Aerospace division announced partnerships with Honeywell and IBM to collaborate on the MRO of aerospace products across the Middle East.

Mr Janahi told The National he aimed to "build on the strong platform for growth the company already has" in his first few months in the job. He also said TS&S would continue to support Etihad Airway's servicing needs.

“The company is poised well for further growth, in providing local support to global aerospace companies working in the region,” he said.

Khaled Abdulla Al Qubaisi, the chief executive of Mubadala’s Aerospace, Renewables and ICT business, said of Mr Janahi's appointment: “Mansoor brings a wealth of experience to his new role at TS&S, a premier MRO and services business that is a crucial part of Abu Dhabi’s industrial ecosystem."