The Hindu Business Line : Aircraft maintenance centre to come up in Hyderabad

EYEING an estimated annual $100 million aircraft maintenance market in India, HAMCO (Hyderabad Aircraft Maintenance Company Pvt Ltd) has announced its plans to set up the country's `first independent' maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operations.

The company has roped in Frost and Sullivan to validate its business plans and advice on future growth.

The five-acre MRO is likely to come up at the upcoming international airport at Shamshabad near here with a seed investment of Rs 50 crore. It would be ready in two years.

"We are in talks with HIAL (Hyderabad International Airport Ltd) in this regard," Mr Uday K Naidu, Co-Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of HAMCO, said.

The company was also in talks with at least two airlines to get their MRO work.

Announcing company's plans here at a press conference, he said the MRO market had been growing at 15 per cent and was around $36 billion.

With more and more private airlines coming up, there was a good scope for an MRO in India. Also, it could bank on outsourcing of MRO works from the West.

Though it looked at HIAL to kickstart its operations, the company was open to explore other options such as Kochi and Nagpur.

"But Hyderabad suited well for our plans as it was a convenient location on the major Indian global transport routes. This will make it easy for the airlines to bring in their aircraft for maintenance," he said.

"We are starting off with 22 highly skilled technical experts. We would be 500 by 2010," Mr Naidu said.

The company had also initiated talks with leading international MROs and OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) for collaborations. The potential for MROs went up in India as more and more airlines started their operations. "Only Indian Airlines, Air India and Jet Airways have their own MROs," he said.

Usually aircraft were taken on non-revenue jaunts to far off countries for repairs and statutory checks. "It would be 20-30 per cent cheaper doing it in India," he said.

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