MTU Aero Engines rapidly proceeds with site establishment in Serbia

• MTU's new repair facility will be located in Nova Pazova close to Belgrade airport and is expected to start MRO operations in 2022
• Local subsidiary will be founded in order to start hiring process of initial employees to support preparation phase
• Serbia's Prime Minister Ana Brnabic welcomes MTU's engagement as key for planned national aerospace cluster

MTU Aero Engines AG, a leading engine manufacturer and one of the world's largest engine maintenance providers, has chosen the municipality of Nova Pazova, about 25 kilometers north of Belgrade International Airport as the location for its new repair facility. The company will establish a parts repair shop with a capacity of approximately 400,000 annual repair hours. This is in addition to the 1.9 million repair hours MTU currently performs per year at existing facilities. The new site will be run by MTU Maintenance Serbia d.o.o., a 100 percent MTU subsidiary to be founded soon, and is expected to be operational over the course of 2022.

During her stay at Paris Air Show, Serbia's Prime Minister Ana Brnabic visited MTU and presented the government's plans for a national aerospace cluster. "MTU Aero Engines is our partner of choice informing the nucleus of the future aerospace industry in Serbia. We intend to create a dedicated aerospace cluster around MTU's investment and we are looking forward to attract further partners. Highly skilled and motivated people are our key asset in establishing Serbia as an attractive location for the global aviation industry."

Following the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by MTU and the Government of the Republic of Serbia in early May this year, Prime Minister Ana Brnabic handed over major administrative approvals to Michael Schreyögg, Chief Program Officer, MTU Aero Engines, today. These documents provide the basis for MTU's upcoming activities in Serbia. Within the course of this year, the company will establish a project office in Belgrade. A core team is already coordinating the setup of the new shop, e.g. selection of local suppliers. Ground-breaking is expected to happen in autumn 2020.

Maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) for commercial aircraft engines is a major driver behind MTU's business success. This planned development requires several hundred new employees, with a steep ramp-up of workforce numbers in the first years of operation. "Setting up this new site is part of MTU's global growth story," said Schreyögg. "MRO business will further ramp up in the years to come. To answer this challenge, we are investing in our existing facilities and expanding our current network with this dedicated parts repair shop. Operational flexibility is key to provide competitive services to the global market. Including the name Serbia in our subsidiary's brand underlines our confidence in becoming a valuable and committed industrial player in Serbia."