GMF, French, Japan Firms to Develop Aircraft Workshop in Batam

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - State-owned PT Garuda Maintenance Facility AeroAsia (GMF) has inked a memorandum of understanding with European airline company Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&EM) and Japan-based Mitsui & Co, Ltd to develop an aircraft maintenance facility in the city of Batam, Riau Islands.

PT GMF AeroAsia said in a written statement received in Batam that the signing carried out on Tuesday in GMF’s Hangar 4 at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport was a follow-up of the GMF cooperation with Batam Free Trade Zone Authority (BP Batam) in the management of a piece of land located at Hang Nadim International Airport, Batam.

PT GMF AeroAsia corporate secretary Aryo Widjoseno said that the strategic cooperation will begin with a joint feasibility study that will become the basis for the cooperation in MRO development. Batam has been named the project location due to its close proximity to Singapore, Southeast Asia’s aviation hub.

On the same occasion, PT GMF AeroAsia and AFI KLM E&EM signed an MoU to improve the capability of the two MRO companies. The MoU was signed by PT GMF acting president director I Wayan Susena, AFI KLM E&M Executive Vice President Air Anne Brachet and Executive Vice President Ton Dortmans.

PT GMF and AFI KLM E&M will focus on developing cooperation in mutual training programs, prognostic technology, system integration and data exchange. The GMF has therefore allocated its Hangar 4 to AFI KLM E&M experts. The memorandum of understanding was signed following an agreement made at Singapore Airshow 2016.

At Southeast Asia’s prestigious aviation exhibition, PT GMF and AFI KLM E&M signed a cooperation agreement covering, among others, aircraft engine maintenance and component support for Boeing and Airbus aircraft belonging to flag carrier PT Garuda Indonesia. Following the cooperation agreement, PT GMF has completed the maintenance of KLM’s Boeing 747-400 aircraft, components and engines in 2016.

I Wayan Susena said that PT GMF is very enthusiastic about the cooperation. “Together with AFI KLM E&M, the GMF could strengthen its position in the Asia-Pacific region. In addition, the cooperation could help expedite GMF’s effort to break into the world’s top 10 MRO [companies],” he said.

He also expects the partnership to help provide added value ahead of the GMF plan to hold an initial public offering (IPO) in the third quarter of 2017.

Brachet said that the MoU may help for AFI KLM E&M’s Asian expansion.

ANTARA