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Liebherr Invests €45M in Brazil Aerospace Hub Expansion

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Liebherr’s Aerospace Expansion in Brazil: Strategic Growth in Global Aviation

Liebherr Aerospace’s recent ground-breaking ceremony in Guaratinguetá, Brazil, marks a pivotal moment for both the company and the Latin American aerospace sector. With a €45 million investment over the next decade, this expansion solidifies Brazil’s position as a critical hub for advanced aerospace manufacturing. The move comes as global aviation demand rebounds post-pandemic, requiring suppliers to scale operations while maintaining precision engineering standards.

Brazil’s aerospace industry has grown steadily since Embraer’s rise as a regional jet leader, creating a robust ecosystem for tier-one suppliers like Liebherr. The new 8,000 m² facility will specialize in machining and surface treatment for flight control systems and landing gear components – areas where Liebherr holds Nadcap certifications. This strategic growth enables the company to balance production between European and South American sites while meeting Airbus and Boeing’s increased output targets.

Engineering Precision Meets Industrial Scale

The Guaratinguetá expansion focuses on two core capabilities: machining aluminum/steel components and advanced surface treatments like anodizing. These processes are vital for aircraft systems requiring micron-level tolerances. For example, Liebherr Brasil currently manufactures actuator components for the Airbus A320neo’s landing gear – a part subject to 35-ton impact forces during landing. The new facility will increase capacity for such safety-critical parts by 40% by 2027.

Automation plays a key role in this scale-up. Liebherr plans to install 12 new CNC machining centers with AI-driven predictive maintenance systems, reducing downtime by 18% compared to their German facilities. This technology transfer from Lindenberg (Germany) and Toulouse (France) ensures Brazilian operations meet the same quality benchmarks while benefiting from newer equipment.

“The São Paulo facility isn’t just an extension – it’s a blueprint for sustainable aerospace manufacturing,” says Rogério Gimenez, Liebherr Brasil’s Managing Director. “Our energy recovery systems in the surface treatment line will cut CO₂ emissions per part by 22% versus European benchmarks.”



Economic Ripple Effects in Latin America

Beyond aerospace, this project signals Brazil’s industrial maturation. The state of São Paulo offered Liebherr a 15% tax reduction through its Strategic Enterprises Program (PEE), recognizing aerospace as a priority sector. Economists project the expansion will create 220 direct jobs and 800+ indirect positions in logistics and sub-suppliers by 2026. Local technical schools have already launched specialized CNC machining courses to address the skills gap.

The facility’s location 200km from São Paulo’s GRU Airport provides strategic advantages. Recent upgrades to the Dutra Highway (BR-116) enable just-in-time deliveries to Embraer’s Gavião Peixoto plant and Airbus’ Helibras helicopter facility. This logistics network helped Liebherr secure a new contract to supply environmental control systems for the KC-390 Millennium military transport aircraft.

Global Supply Chain Rebalancing

Liebherr’s Brazilian expansion reflects broader industry trends. Boeing reports that 37% of aerospace suppliers are now nearshoring or friendshoring production since the pandemic. By shifting 15% of European component work to Brazil, Liebherr reduces geopolitical risks while cutting average shipping costs to North American clients by US$1,200 per ton.

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The timing aligns with Brazil’s aviation growth. ANAC (Brazilian Civil Aviation Agency) forecasts a 63% increase in domestic air passengers by 2030, driving demand for new aircraft and MRO services. Liebherr’s local footprint positions it to serve both OEM production and aftermarket needs across Latin America.

Aerospace analyst Marco Tulio Santos notes: “Brazil’s aerospace exports grew 19% YoY in 2024. Liebherr’s bet here isn’t just about cost – it’s about tapping into a $4.2 billion regional MRO market expected to double by 2030.”

Conclusion: Blueprint for Aerospace Globalization

Liebherr’s Brazilian expansion demonstrates how tier-one suppliers are adapting to aviation’s new realities. By combining European engineering rigor with Brazil’s cost-efficient skilled labor and strategic location, the company creates a competitive edge in both hemispheres. The project’s environmental focus (40% solar-powered operations) also aligns with aviation’s net-zero ambitions.

Looking ahead, this investment could catalyze further aerospace clustering in São Paulo state. With Embraer, Helibras, and now Liebherr expanding, Brazil is poised to become Latin America’s answer to Toulouse or Seattle – a complete aerospace ecosystem serving global markets through localized excellence.

FAQ

Question: Why did Liebherr choose Brazil for this expansion?
Answer: Brazil offers skilled labor, proximity to North American markets, and growing regional aerospace demand, complemented by state tax incentives.

Question: How many jobs will the new facility create?
Answer: The project is expected to generate 220 direct aerospace jobs and over 800 indirect positions in supporting industries by 2026.

Question: What aircraft programs will benefit from this expansion?
Answer: Production will support Airbus A320/A220 families, Boeing 737 MAX, Embraer E2 jets, and military platforms like the KC-390.

Sources:
AviTrader,
Liebherr Group,
AviTrader Investment Report

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MRO & Manufacturing

Satair and Joramco Extend 25-Year Partnership at MRO Middle East 2026

Satair and Joramco renew their 25-year supply agreement at MRO Middle East 2026, supporting Joramco’s maintenance operations and new contracts.

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This article is based on an official press release from Satair and additional industry reporting regarding MRO Middle East 2026.

Satair and Joramco Extend 25-Year Supply Chain Partnership at MRO Middle East 2026

At the MRO Middle East 2026 exhibition in Dubai, Satair, an Airbus Services company, and Joramco (Jordan Aircraft Maintenance Limited) officially announced the renewal of their long-standing Consumables and Expendables Supply Agreement. The deal marks the continuation of a strategic partnership that has spanned more than a quarter of a century, reinforcing the critical role of integrated supply chains in the growing Middle Eastern aviation maintenance sector.

According to the announcement, the renewed agreement is designed to secure a consistent flow of essential spare parts for Joramco’s base maintenance operations in Amman, Jordan. By locking in this supply chain solution, Joramco aims to minimize “Aircraft on Ground” (AOG) risks and reduce the complexity of material management for its expanding customer base.

Strengthening a Quarter-Century Alliance

The partnership between Satair and Joramco is one of the most enduring in the region. For over 25 years, Satair has served as a primary provider of consumables and expendables, high-volume, low-cost parts essential for routine maintenance, to the Jordan-based MRO provider.

In the official release, the companies highlighted the operational benefits of the extension. The agreement allows Joramco to leverage Satair’s global distribution network, ensuring that parts are available precisely when needed. This “just-in-time” capability is vital for MROs (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul providers) striving to offer competitive turnaround times to airlines.

Operational Efficiency and AOG Reduction

A primary focus of the renewal is the mitigation of supply chain disruptions. By outsourcing the management of consumables to Satair, Joramco can focus its internal resources on heavy maintenance and engineering tasks rather than logistics. The agreement reportedly covers a comprehensive range of Airbus and Boeing fleet requirements, aligning with Joramco’s diverse capabilities.

“This continued partnership with Satair ensures we have the right parts at the right time, allowing us to deliver superior turnaround times to our global customers.”

, Statement attributed to Joramco leadership regarding the renewal

Broader Context: MRO Middle East 2026 Developments

The renewal comes amidst a flurry of activity at MRO Middle East 2026, where both companies have announced significant independent expansions. The event, held on February 4–5, 2026, has served as a platform for major industry shifts in the region.

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According to industry reporting from the event, Joramco has also secured a major five-year heavy maintenance agreement with the German leisure carrier Condor. This deal will see Joramco performing base maintenance on Condor’s entire Airbus fleet, including the A320ceo, A320neo, and A330neo. Additionally, Joramco celebrated the first graduates of its Structured On-the-Job Training (SOJT) program, a move aimed at addressing the global shortage of skilled aviation technicians.

Simultaneously, Satair has expanded its footprint in the sustainability sector. Reports from the event indicate Satair signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with GAMECO (Guangzhou Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Co.) to enter the Used Serviceable Material (USM) market, addressing the rising demand for cost-effective and sustainable parts solutions.

AirPro News Analysis

The renewal of the Satair-Joramco agreement highlights a critical trend in the post-2025 aviation landscape: the prioritization of supply chain resilience. In an era where global parts shortages have frequently grounded fleets, MRO providers are increasingly moving toward long-term, integrated agreements with major distributors rather than relying on spot-market purchasing.

Furthermore, the Middle East’s trajectory as a global MRO hub is evident in these announcements. Joramco’s ability to secure European contracts like the Condor deal, backed by a robust supply chain from Satair, suggests that regional players are successfully competing on a global scale by combining geographic advantages with high-grade logistical reliability.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary focus of the Satair-Joramco agreement?
The agreement focuses on the supply of “consumables and expendables”, essential spare parts used in daily aircraft maintenance. It ensures Joramco has a reliable inventory to prevent delays.
How long have the two companies been partners?
Satair and Joramco have maintained a partnership for over 25 years.
What is Joramco?
Joramco (Jordan Aircraft Maintenance Limited) is the engineering arm of Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) and a leading independent MRO provider based in Amman, Jordan.
What other major news emerged from MRO Middle East 2026?
Joramco signed a 5-year maintenance deal with Condor, and Satair announced an expansion into the used parts market via a partnership with GAMECO.

Sources

Photo Credit: Satair

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MRO & Manufacturing

Joramco Renews Maintenance Agreement with mas Cargo Airline for 2026

Joramco extends its maintenance contract with Mexican cargo airline mas for heavy checks on Airbus A330 freighters throughout 2026 at its Amman facility.

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This article is based on an official press release from Joramco.

Joramco Extends Maintenance Partnership with mas Cargo Airline for 2026

Joramco, the Amman-based aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility and engineering arm of Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE), has officially announced the renewal of its maintenance agreement with mas (formerly MasAir), a prominent Mexican cargo airline. The agreement was finalized and signed during the MRO Middle East 2026 exhibition in Dubai, marking a continuation of the strategic partnership between the two entities.

Under the terms of the renewed contract, Joramco will perform heavy base maintenance checks on the mas fleet of Airbus A330 freighters. The work is scheduled to take place throughout 2026 at Joramco’s facility at Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, Jordan. This announcement underscores the MRO provider’s increasing traction in the global cargo sector and its ability to secure recurring business from international carriers outside its traditional regional stronghold.

Scope of the Renewed Agreement

According to the company’s announcement, the new deal focuses specifically on heavy base maintenance, often referred to as C-checks, for the carrier’s Airbus A330 fleet. These checks are critical for ensuring the continued airworthiness and operational reliability of the freighter aircraft, which are essential to mas’s global logistics network.

This renewal follows a successful initial collaboration established relatively recently. Joramco and mas first formalized their partnerships in October 2025 at the MRO Europe exhibition in London. That initial agreement covered maintenance checks that began in December 2025. The rapid renewal, signed just four months later, suggests a successful execution of the initial checks and a deepening of the business relationship.

In a statement regarding the renewal, Joramco’s leadership highlighted the significance of the repeat business.

“We are pleased to welcome more aircraft from mas at Joramco. This agreement reaffirms Joramco’s position as a trusted Global MRO provider of choice.”

, Adam Voss, CEO of Joramco

Strategic Context and Capacity Expansion

The agreement with mas aligns with Joramco’s broader strategy to expand its global footprint. By securing a renewal with a Latin American carrier, the Jordan-based MRO is demonstrating its competitiveness on a global scale, attracting airframes from the Americas to the Middle-East for heavy maintenance.

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AirPro News Analysis

The timing of this renewal is notable within the wider context of the MRO industry’s capacity constraints. In late 2025, Joramco inaugurated “Hangar 7,” a significant infrastructure expansion that reportedly increased its capacity to 22 parallel maintenance lines. This expansion appears to be paying dividends, allowing the facility to accommodate the “more aircraft” referenced by CEO Adam Voss.

Furthermore, the cargo market remains a demanding sector requiring high asset utilization. For a specialized Cargo-Aircraft airline like mas, which operates a modernizing fleet of Airbus A330 Passenger-to-Freighter (P2F) aircraft, securing reliable MRO slots is a strategic priority. The quick transition from an initial contract in late 2025 to a full-year renewal for 2026 indicates that Joramco has successfully met the technical and turnaround time requirements demanded by the cargo carrier.

About the Companies

Joramco: A subsidiary of Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE), Joramco has operated for over 60 years. Based in Amman, Jordan, it provides airframe maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for Airbus, Boeing, and Embraer aircraft.

mas: Headquartered in Mexico City, mas (formerly MasAir) is a specialized cargo airline operating scheduled and charter freight services across the Americas, Europe, and Asia. The airline has been actively expanding its capacity with Airbus A330 freighters to support its international network.


Sources:

Photo Credit: Joramco

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MRO & Manufacturing

Liebherr and Röder Expand MRO for Embraer E-Jet Landing Gear

Liebherr-Aerospace and Röder Präzision deepen cooperation to overhaul main landing gear for Embraer E-Jet E1 family, enhancing capacity and reducing turnaround times.

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This article is based on an official press release from Liebherr-Aerospace.

Liebherr-Aerospace and Röder Präzision Expand Partnership for Embraer E-Jet Landing Gear Overhaul

Liebherr-Aerospace Lindenberg GmbH and Röder Präzision GmbH have officially announced a significant expansion of their MRO cooperation. According to a joint statement released in early February 2026, the new agreement tasks Röder Präzision with the overhaul of structural components for the main landing gear of the Embraer E-Jet E1 family. This move builds upon a pre-existing partnership that was previously limited to nose landing gear components.

The deepened collaboration comes as the global aviation industry faces rising demand for maintenance capacity. By integrating Röder Präzision’s Egelsbach facility into the supply chain for main landing gear structures, Liebherr aims to increase industrial capacity and reduce turnaround times (TAT) for operators of the E170, E175, E190, and E195 aircraft. The agreement is effective immediately, with operations expected to scale up throughout 2026.

As the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for the E-Jet landing gear system, Liebherr-Aerospace retains authority over the final product, while leveraging Röder’s specialized capabilities to handle the volume of structural repairs required by the aging global fleet.

Operational Division of Labor

The agreement establishes a clear division of responsibilities designed to optimize the overhaul process. While Röder Präzision takes on the industrial heavy lifting for individual components, Liebherr maintains control over the critical airworthiness certification and system integration.

Liebherr-Aerospace (Lindenberg)

Liebherr’s facility in Lindenberg remains the center of competence for the program. The OEM is responsible for the “top-level” processes, which include:

  • Disassembly of the landing gear systems.
  • Re-assembly of overhauled components.
  • Final functional testing.
  • Final airworthiness certification and release to service.

Röder Präzision (Egelsbach)

Röder Präzision, an established MRO provider, will handle the detailed industrial overhaul of the structural parts. Their scope includes:

  • Machining and structural repairs.
  • Surface treatments and plating.
  • Specialized processing of main landing gear components.

According to the announcement, Röder has invested in expanded machinery and specific employee qualification programs to meet the technical demands of the main landing gear, which involves larger and more complex components than the nose gear they previously handled.

Strategic Context: The E-Jet “Overhaul Wave”

The timing of this agreement is driven by the lifecycle of the Embraer E-Jet E1 fleet. The aircraft family, which entered service in the mid-2000s, is currently experiencing a “bow wave” of heavy maintenance requirements.

Landing gear overhaul intervals for the E-Jet are typically set at 10 years or 20,000 flight cycles for the E190/195, and 12 years or 30,000 flight cycles for the E170/175. With a significant portion of the global fleet reaching these milestones simultaneously, the demand for overhaul slots has surged. By utilizing a domestic German supply chain, Liebherr intends to minimize logistics costs and shipping times, offering a faster alternative to non-European vendors.

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“This cooperation is a win-win situation. We are covering global needs that are sure to arise in the near future. At the same time, we can offer our customers greater capacities and faster turnaround times thanks to short delivery routes.”

— Gerd Heinzelmann, Managing Director, Liebherr-Aerospace Lindenberg GmbH

Bastian Heberer, CEO of the Röder Group, emphasized that the deal is built on a foundation of trust established during their previous work on nose landing gear.

“We are very pleased to be able to deepen the long-standing, trust-based partnership with Liebherr with this agreement. With our targeted investments in machinery and the qualification of our employees, we are a reliable partner for Liebherr.”

— Bastian Heberer, CEO, Röder Group

AirPro News Analysis

This agreement highlights a growing trend in the MRO sector where OEMs are increasingly relying on trusted third-party providers to manage capacity constraints. While OEMs like Liebherr hold the intellectual property and certification authority, the sheer volume of mature fleets, like the E-Jet E1, requires more industrial throughput than many OEMs can manage alone without expanding their own physical footprint.

By outsourcing the component-level repair work to Röder while keeping the high-value assembly and certification in-house, Liebherr effectively creates a “hybrid” MRO model. This allows them to scale capacity rapidly in response to the current market surge without bearing the full capital expenditure of building new component repair shops. For operators, the promise of a “domestic solution” within Germany suggests a focus on supply chain resilience, reducing the risk of delays associated with cross-border logistics.

Frequently Asked Questions

What aircraft are covered by this agreement?
The agreement covers the Embraer E-Jet E1 family, which includes the E170, E175, E190, and E195 models.

When does the new cooperation begin?
The cooperation is effective immediately, with the volume of overhaul work expected to scale up successively throughout 2026.

Does Röder Präzision certify the landing gear?
No. Röder performs the overhaul of structural components, but Liebherr-Aerospace retains responsibility for final testing and airworthiness certification.

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Sources: Liebherr-Aerospace

Photo Credit: Liebherr

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