GMR Hyderabad Aviation SEZ Limited signs Lease Agreement with Safran Aircraft Engines for MRO

GMR Hyderabad Aviation SEZ Limited (GHASL), a 100% subsidiary of GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd. (GHIAL) has recently signed a Land Lease Agreement with Safran Aircraft Engines Services India Pvt. Ltd (SAESIPL), a subsidiary of Safran, a global leader in aircraft propulsion and equipment, space and defence markets with their Headquarters in Paris, France. As per the agreement, GMR Hyderabad Aviation SEZ Limited (GHASL) will lease land to Safran who will build and operate the Engine MRO facility for LEAP turbofan engines.  Spread across 23.5 acres of the land parcel within SEZ area of GMR Aerospace & Industrial Park, this facility will occupy around 36,500 sqm of built-up space. 
 
The construction of the facility will commence in September 2023. The facility is expected to be handed over in December 2024. This facility in Hyderabad will be the largest MRO center in the Safran Aircraft Engines network. Operations are set to commence in 2025 and will provide employment to about 1000 workers at its peak operation capacity. The facility will adhere to Safran’s most stringent standards for industrial processes and machinery, including cutting-edge technologies like the latest integrated inspection methods and real-time monitoring of the maintenance shop process’s parameters. The new facility will operate on 100% sustainable green energy utilized from the GMR Solar farm. 
 
SAFRAN is operating two Industrial facilities for Cable Harnessing and Aircraft Engine Component manufacturing within SEZ area of GMR Aerospace & Industrial Park. In addition, CFM, a JV of Safran with GE, is operating an Engine Maintenance training facility at the Park.
 
GMR Aerospace & Industrial Park is housed at Hyderabad AeroCity - India’s first smart, greenfield Airport City, which is propelling the next stage of the evolution of Airport cities. The Park offers ‘ready-to-use’ industrial infrastructure with the flexibility of choosing land within a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) for businesses focusing on foreign markets and land in a Domestic Tariff Area for businesses catering to the Indian market. 
 
Commenting on this development, Mr. Aman Kapoor, CEO GMR Airport Land Development, says, “We are excited to announce that Safran has chosen GMR Industrial Park after a thorough Global assessment and has entered a lease agreement to set up one of the largest Engine MROs in the world. The facility will initially have the capacity to service 100 engines per annum, which will gradually increase, to around 300 engines by 2035. It will also generate ample employment opportunities in the state of Telangana.”

Mr. Nicolas Potier, Vice President Support & Services of Safran Aircraft Engines, states, "I extend my congratulation to GMR on being selected to provide the location for our new MRO shop in Hyderabad. This MRO project, which is a significant investment in our future in India, will bring additional key capacity to support the operations of our airlines customers and will also contribute to the extension of the aeronautical ecosystem in the Hyderabad International Airport area."

GMR AeroCity Hyderabad has a distinct integrated mixed-use multi-asset Ecosystem across Commercial Offices, Retail, Aerospace and Industrial Park, Educational Institutions, Hospitality, Healthcare, Entertainment and Rental Accommodation. The unique value propositions offered by the AeroCity has already attracted leading businesses from across the globe including Amazon, Pratt & Whitney, CFM, Safran, Schneider Electric, ESR, OSI, Schulich School of Business, NIPRO, Decathlon, Invesco and Multisorb among others.

Safran is an International High-Technology Group specialized in 3 core businesses (Aviation, Space and Defence) having a turnover of Euro 19.0 Bn and an employee strength of 83,000 in 27 countries. Safran is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange and is part of the CAC 40 and Euro Stoxx 50 indices.