8 AIRLINER WORLD JUNE 2018
News Review • Europe
DR JOHANNES Bussmann, the
Chairman of the Executive Board of
Lufthansa Technik, described 2017 as
the “year of sales” after the company
achieved record orders valued at in
excess of €13bn. This figure helped the
MRO firm’s revenues rise from €5.144bn
to €5.404bn, an increase of more than
5%. And it resulted in an adjusted EBIT
(earnings before interest and taxes) of
€415m, up from €411m the year before.
“Lufthansa Technik is and remains the
leading provider in our industry,” said
Dr Bussmann. “The new contracts,
with a total volume of more than €13bn,
provide impressive proof. Last year
was the year of sales. Our team deliv-
ered a fantastic performance, demon-
strating the importance of the inter-
nationalisation approach adopted by
Lufthansa Technik.”
The number of aircraft under exclusive
support contracts with the Hamburg-
based firm grew by 10% in 2017, to
more than 4,550, which is around 20%
of all commercial aircraft worldwide.
Dr Bussmann remarked: “A growing
number of customers and supported
aircraft, along with considerable new
business, demonstrate the great trust
that we enjoy in the aviation industry
around the world.”Digitalisation
Lufthansa Technik is embracing the
digital age with a series of new prod-
ucts, managed by its new Digital Fleet
Solutions business unit. Among them isAVIATAR, a platform that brings together
numerous apps to enable operators
to monitor the status of their fleets
from a single portal. Key components
include Fleet Management, Condition
Monitoring and Reliability Management.
Information is collated into a single
source and using analytical models,
recommendations and notifications are
generated. Lufthansa Technik says this
equips customers to make decisions
quicker and on a “sounder basis”.
Dr Bussmann explained: “We have
made a very ambitious entry into
digitalisation with AVIATAR. The expec-
tations we are placing on ourselves
here are very high, because we want to
shape the digitalisation of our industry
with our modern fleet management
solutions. With Wizz Air, we have
already won an important AVIATAR
partner with a large fleet from outside
the Lufthansa Group.”Investments
In September the company opened its
new €60m wheels and brakes work-
shop at its Frankfurt Osthafen site, just
two years after construction began.
Around 200 people are currently
employed at the new facility. The com-
pany has also modernised its site in
Hamburg, including inducting a newcentre of excellence for engine casings
and a new x-ray facility.
However, last June Lufthansa Technik
closed its aircraft overhaul operations
in Hamburg. The company says despite
“intensive negotiations” with labour
groups it was unable to find a solution
that would have made continuing
operations in Hamburg commercially
viable. Lufthansa Technik offered all
employees affected alternative jobs in
other divisions at the Hamburg site.
In summary, Dr Bussmann said: “Never
before have we generated so much
revenue, supported so many aircraft,
or employed so many people. With this
foundation, we will stick to our course:
growing throughout the world and
driving the entire industry forward.”Record Sales
Boost Lufthansa Technik
RIGHT • Dr Johannes Bussmann, Chairman of
the Executive Board of Lufthansa Technik.
ALL PHOTOS LUFTHANSA TECHNIKLEFT • Lufthansa Technik won more than €13bn
worth of orders in 2017.