Abu Dhabi Aviation and AgustaWestland
have agreed to create a joint venture company in the UAE for
helicopter maintenance.
The new company will be called AgustaWestland Aviation Services
and will carry out a range of services and activities for the sale
of helicopter spare parts and accessories, helicopter/component
repair and overhaul, customisation, modification and upgrading.
According to the evolution of future market requirements, the joint
venture's scope of activities could be further expanded to
encompass special configuration development, component production
and helicopter assembly.
In a statement the two companies said that leveraging on their
respective competencies and businesses, the synergy generated
through the Abu Dhabi Aviation and AgustaWestland joint venture
will deliver a new level of customer support and services across
the region. Customers will be offered a wide range of services in
Abu Dhabi that have historically been available only from the
manufacturer in Italy or the United States.
Nader Ahmed Mohammed Al Hammadi, chairman of Abu Dhabi Aviation
said: "We aim to be a global aviation company beyond its current
international business scope, and the new joint venture is a step
in the right direction. The joint venture will be of mutual benefit
for both partners to further expand their range of services,
capabilities and presence. The demand for helicopter maintenance
across the Middle East is growing and providing this service right
at the doorstep of our clients is a benefit that will see huge
returns in terms of overall industry growth".
"Our current capabilities provide services to our clients on a
global basis with approximately 40 percent of ADA's business coming
from outside the UAE. With 30 years of experience in the oil
industry and having logged over 1,000,000 hours flying helicopters,
ADA will be able to leverage its business performance strength to
this partnership."
In addition to its other helicopter and fixed wing fleet, Abu
Dhabi Aviation also owns Maximus Air Cargo, the largest air cargo
provider in the Middle East and is a 50% shareholder of Royal Jet,
the leading VIP charter company in the region. Abu Dhabi Aviation
operates one of the world's largest civil fleets of 16 AW139s and
has been an AgustaWestland Service Centre since 2005.
From its large and modern maintenance facilities located at Abu
Dhabi International Airport, Abu Dhabi Aviation is uniquely
positioned to support AgustaWestland's remarkably successful AW139
and other models. Approximately one hundred AW139 helicopters are
already in service in the Middle East, with a number of customers
for both civil and military roles. |