Dubai South Launches Phase 1 of its Aerospace Supply Chain
A step closer to fulfilling its bid to create a comprehensive aviation ecosystem, designed to service the aerospace industry, Dubai South announced the completion of the first phase of its aerospace supply chain facility. The new facility at Dubai South’s Aviation District is also in line with the focus of the Dubai Industrial Strategy, launched last June, by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, which aims to make Dubai the aviation capital of the world and contributes to raising the industrial value of this growing sector.
The announcement was made on the inaugural day of MRO Middle East, co-located with Aircraft Interiors Middle East (AIME), the region's leading conference and trade show for commercial aircraft maintenance, taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from 8thto 9thFebruary.
The first phase of the project, features a multi-purpose built landside facility, covering a total area of 9,000 sq metres, and includes 12 units catering to small to medium enterprises in the global MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) sector. The facility comprises of workshop facilities and offices.
Speaking on the occasion Ahmed Al Ansari, Acting CEO, Dubai South said: “The project represents a significant added value for all companies participating in the aviation supply chain and supporting the aerospace industry. The first of its kind in the Middle East, the facility is purpose-built to cater to the specific needs of the aerospace industry and leverages the integrated aviation ecosystem that Dubai South is creating.
“The key advantage of the aerospace supply chain is its strategic location that offers unrivalled access to both the Al Maktoum International Airport and Jebel Ali Port, as well as benefits from Dubai South’s multi-modal logistics platform. Additionally, the facility offers unique productivity and efficiency benefits that arise from the ‘cluster effect’, which is created by suppliers and stakeholders, all present in close proximity within the Dubai South Aviation District,” added Al Ansari.
When complete the entire aerospace supply chain, which includes 9 phases, will span 157,000 square meters.
The first tenant in the aerospace supply chain phase one, Lufthansa Technik, consumes already begun operations. Lufthansa Technik Middle East is a leading manufacturing company and independent provider of specialized technical services to the aviation industry.
The MRO sector associated with the aviation industry offers a wide spectrum of support services related but not limited to the maintenance of landing gear, avionics, hydraulics and braking systems, as well as specialized functions such as aircraft painting, plumbing, seat and upholstery, non-destructive testing and plastics repair.
As the world’s first master-planned airport city, Dubai South is concentrating on building state-of-the-art infrastructure around the Al Maktoum International, thus creating a thriving aviation ecosystem. The Aviation District provides a specialized business environment that meets all the needs of the aviation industry. Spanning an area of seven square kilometers, the district is the new permanent home of the Dubai Airshow and caters to all practical aspects of private and commercial aviation.
