Airbus is set to develop its presence in Malaysia with the expansion of its joint venture maintenance unit Sepang Aircraft Engineering (SAE) and the establishment of a new Airbus Customer Services Centre. The developments are the first in a series of projects that will see the manufacturer increase its footprint in the fast-growing South East Asian region and provide more support services for operators of its aircraft.

The initiatives in Malaysia were announced at a ceremony at the SAE premises at Kuala Lumpur International airport to launch construction of a second hangar at the facility. The ceremony took place in the presence of Malaysian Prime Minister Dato' Sri Najib Razak and was attended by Fabrice Brégier, President and CEO, Airbus.

The new hangar at SAE, which specialises in the maintenance and overhaul of Airbus single aisle aircraft, will have a floor area of 13,000 square metres and will be capable of accommodating three A320 Family aircraft for major maintenance checks. This will be in addition to the existing hangar, which can accommodate six single aisle aircraft at any one time.

The new Airbus Customer Services facility, 100 per cent owned by Airbus, will be located adjacent to SAE. It will be an expansion of the manufacturer's global network of offices providing 24/7 specialised major aircraft engineering and repair services. Existing offices offering this support are located in Toulouse, Wichita and Beijing.

The announcements we are making reflect the enormous potential we see for the aerospace industry in South East Asia, said Fabrice Brégier, President and CEO, Airbus. With a skilled talent pool, quality workmanship and competitive cost base, Malaysia is one of the countries that have the right ingredients to become a key partner for Airbus. This is in line with our strategy to have a stronger footprint in international markets and develop our support services for operators of our aircraft nearer to their home bases.

The Asia-Pacific region is a core market for Airbus, accounting for 31 per cent of all orders recorded by the company to date. Today, there are more than 2,270 Airbus aircraft in service with 98 operators across the region, with another 2,000 on order with customers for future delivery. This represents 36 per cent of the company's total backlog, reflecting the importance of the region as the fastest growing market for new civil aircraft.

Airbus is the world's leading aircraft manufacturer offering the most modern, innovative and efficient family of passenger airliners on the market, ranging in capacity from 100 to more than 500 seats.