Dubai Airshow: Sanad and Saudi Arabian military turbine MRO provider and Middle East Propulsion sign MoU

Mutual assistance between two of the Gulf’s aerospace companies should help them both increase market share through leveraging each other’s capabilities, one of their senior executives said at the Dubai air show.

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“The Saudi Arabian market is one we would like to expand our reach into and so we’ve started discussions with MEPC,” said Sanad deputy group CEO, Mansoor Janahi.

“We’ve got repair capabilities that they can leverage, rather than investing [in them]. “They’ve got capabilities that we can leverage without having to invest. It’s a more efficient use of resources.” Saudi Arabia’s proximity to Sanad’s home base is also an attraction.

Sanad, which is owned by UAE investment giant Mubadala, “started local and has gone global”, Janahi said, but is seeking to expand its worldwide reach further.

 

“We have a leadership position in the region…but we’re looking at three markets to spread our wings into. We’re looking at Africa, because we believe it’s a market that’s underserved; Southeast Asia, given that it’s the fastest-growing air transport market; and the Americas because, at the end of the day, the US is the largest single air transport market globally.”

Meanwhile, in another deal announced at the show, Sanad is partnering with the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO) to provide the association’s 27 airline members with access to Sanad’s industrial service capabilities. 

The affiliation, which sees Sanad appointed as AACO’s Industry Partner, provides a platform for extensive knowledge exchange and access for AACO’s members, with Sanad expecting to leverage the tie-up to expand regional service partnerships and build on its expertise in servicing OEMs and airlines.

“Our partnership with AACO provides its members and Sanad with a mutually beneficial platform to explore greater collaborative opportunities and share knowledge and experience to drive excellence across the aviation sector,” said Janahi.