Vancouver, June 19, 2019 -- MTU Maintenance Canada has taken possession of a brownfield site adding capacity to the Vancouver operations. The building is located next to Boundary Bay airport, in the Vancouver suburb of Delta and was originally designed and operated as a maintenance facility for helicopters and helicopter engines. The facility will immediately provide much-needed additional expansion space of around 60 percent. Following minor modifications by year-end, it also enables MTU Maintenance Canada to consolidate all of its repair activates, currently spread across three locations at Vancouver airport, into one location.
The facility in Delta offers 235,000 square feet of space and is within thirty minutes of Vancouver airport. “We are delighted to have found a facility to suit our growing needs and workforce,” says Helmut Neuper, President and CEO of MTU Maintenance Canada. “In 2018 we operated at full capacity, and we look forward to being able to more flexibly respond to market and customer needs in the future.”
As the Boundary Bay building was already constructed for aviation activities, MTU Maintenance Canada will be able to continue upholding its highest standards and only needs to carry out minimal changes to the existing infrastructure. All modifications and upgrades will be performed from Summer 2019 onwards and partial operations in the new facility could begin as early as Spring 2020. The move is expected to be fully completed one year later, with all aspects of the business relocated, and under one roof by June 2021. This staggered approach will support the number one priority set by the project team: no operational impact through the transition. Testing activities will continue to be carried out in the existing test cell at Vancouver airport.
“Furthermore, around 80% of our workforce lives within a 25 kilometer radius of the new location,” Neuper says. “This area is also a more affordable suburb for the new and younger employees we are hoping to attract into the company and industry.” MTU Maintenance Canada currently employees over 400 qualified professionals and is looking to increase this number by approximately 100 as its business grows. The company was recently recognized as a one of British Columbia’s top employers – for the sixth year in a row - and one of Canada’s top employers for young people by the Career Directory.
MTU Maintenance Canada is the North American member of the MTU Maintenance network of companies, the largest independent provider of commercial engine maintenance services worldwide. Based British Columbia, the company operates a shop where it repairs and overhauls engines and accessories and performs engine tests. MTU's Canadian affiliate holds licenses for work on the CF6, CFM56 and V2500 engine families. Alongside accessory repairs, the company also offers its customers so-called Line Replaceable Unit (LRU) management services which play an increasing role in MTU's service offerings.