MRO & Manufacturing
Liebherr and Loong Air Sign REACH-Compliant Maintenance Deal in China
Liebherr partners with Loong Air to provide REACH-compliant heat transfer equipment maintenance for Airbus A320 fleets, enhancing sustainability and local MRO in China.
This article is based on an official press release from Liebherr.
On May 29, 2026, during the MRO Greater China 2026 exhibition, Liebherr-Aerospace and Chinese carrier Loong Air officially announced a long-term maintenance agreement. According to the company’s press release, Liebherr will provide major repair and re-coring services for the heat transfer equipment across Loong Air’s fleet of Airbus A320ceo and A320neo aircraft.
The agreement represents a significant environmental milestone for the region’s aviation maintenance sector. It marks Liebherr’s first REACH-compliant re-coring project in China, introducing advanced, eco-friendly coating processes to the Asian market. By adopting these sustainable practices, Liebherr is assisting Loong Air in preparing for increasingly stringent global environmental regulations.
Under the terms of the partnership, the two companies will share maintenance responsibilities. Liebherr-Aerospace will manage the heavy maintenance, including full matrix replacement and major re-coring services. Meanwhile, Loong Air will handle routine cleaning, minor repairs, and testing procedures to ensure ongoing quality and reliability for its fleet.
Pioneering REACH-Compliant Maintenance in China
A central component of this new service agreement is the introduction of REACH-compliant processes to the Chinese aviation market. REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals) is a strict European Union regulatory framework designed to protect human health and the environment from chemical risks. Historically, aerospace heat transfer equipment relied on hexavalent chromium treatments, which are now being phased out globally due to their toxicity.
The TCS and PACS Technologies
To meet these modern environmental standards, Liebherr has industrialized a REACH-compliant Trivalent Chromium System (TCS) and a Post Application Conversion Sealer (PACS) coating process. According to the technical details provided by Liebherr, the TCS enhances corrosion resistance and paint adhesion, while the PACS seals and reinforces the protective layer for long-term durability. Together, these technologies deliver performance equivalent to legacy chromium-based treatments without the severe environmental drawbacks.
Liebherr notes that it is the first company to offer this specific REACH-compliant service for heat transfer equipment to airline customers in China. This proactive approach allows airlines to avoid costly retrofits or recertification later in the aircraft’s life cycle.
“The integration of the REACH-compliant TCS and the PACS coating process marks a significant step towards a more sustainable customer service and demonstrates our commitment to innovation and environmental responsibility for the benefit of our customers.”
Strategic Localization and Fleet Support
To support the growing demand for advanced maintenance solutions in the Asia-Pacific region, Liebherr has significantly expanded its maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) capabilities. All full matrix replacement and major re-coring work for Loong Air will be conducted at Liebherr’s dedicated service center in Pudong, Shanghai. The company states that this facility is hosted within a 20,000-square-meter regional headquarters and features a dedicated 800-square-meter area specifically designed for the testing and re-coring of aircraft heat transfer equipment.
Empowering Loong Air’s In-House Capabilities
Based at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport, Loong Air (Zhejiang Loong Airlines Co. Ltd) commenced passenger operations in 2013. The carrier operates a fleet of over 70 aircraft, relying heavily on the Airbus A320 family for its domestic and regional routes. Maintaining a single aircraft family allows the airline to streamline crew training and spare parts management.
As the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), Liebherr will support Loong Air with technical expertise, access to technical publications, training, and spare parts. This collaborative structure empowers the airline to conduct its in-house maintenance work efficiently while relying on Liebherr for specialized heavy overhauls.
“This contract with Loong Air is a premiere for our re-core activities in China and paves the way for a promising future. Together with our skilled service team in Shanghai, we are strengthening regional support and delivering Liebherr-Aerospace quality with a REACH-compliant coating process, preparing airline customers for future environmental requirements.”
AirPro News analysis
We view this agreement as a strong indicator of two major trends in the global MRO sector: the shift toward “Green Aviation” and the localization of supply chains. By moving away from toxic hexavalent chromium to REACH-compliant trivalent chromium, Liebherr is future-proofing its service offerings against inevitable regulatory tightening in Asia. Furthermore, by expanding its Shanghai facility to handle heavy, specialized re-coring locally, Liebherr enables Chinese airlines like Loong Air to receive OEM-quality maintenance without the need to ship parts overseas. This localized approach significantly reduces turnaround times and lowers the carbon footprint associated with global logistics, creating a highly competitive advantage in the post-pandemic aviation market.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is REACH compliance in aviation?
REACH is a European Union regulation aimed at protecting human health and the environment from chemical risks. In aviation maintenance, becoming REACH-compliant often means replacing toxic chemicals, such as hexavalent chromium, with safer alternatives like Trivalent Chromium Systems (TCS) for component coatings. - Which aircraft are covered under the Liebherr and Loong Air agreement?
The long-term maintenance agreement covers the heat transfer equipment on Loong Air’s fleet of Airbus A320ceo and A320neo aircraft. - Where will the heavy maintenance take place?
Liebherr will conduct the full matrix replacement and major re-coring work at its dedicated 800-square-meter service center located within its regional headquarters in Pudong, Shanghai.
Sources: Liebherr Press Release
Supply Chain
Mobix Labs Wins Engine Connector Order for Fighters and Widebodies
Mobix Labs received a six-figure order from a tier-one supplier for EMI-filtered engine connectors on US fighters and wide-body jets.
Mobix Labs has received a six-figure production order from an unnamed tier-one aerospace and defense supplier for connectors used in engine systems on multiple U.S. fighter jet platforms and on wide-body commercial aircraft, extending its engine-system work across military and commercial aviation.
In a press release published through Business Wire on November 5, 2026, the company (Nasdaq: MOBX) said the order covers custom-engineered connectors filtered against electromagnetic interference (EMI) that protect engine control and monitoring electronics. The release does not name the supplier, the specific fighter or wide-body types, or the exact value of the order. It presents the award as the next step after F-16 production orders and what it calls a 500% increase in F-22 component orders.
What the order covers
Mobix Labs, which describes itself as a U.S.-based provider of advanced, mission-critical electronic components for aerospace and defense, said modern fighter jets operate in demanding electromagnetic environments, where radar, communications and electronic warfare systems coexist with digital engine controls. The company said its filtering helps protect engine electronics from that interference.
“From front-line U.S. fighter jets to the world’s largest commercial aircraft, engine reliability is nonnegotiable.”
Phil Sansone, chief executive officer of Mobix Labs, said the order reflects the expanding role of the company’s technology and its growing reach into commercial aviation. The company said the award supports its strategy of expanding into mission-critical aerospace and defense applications through specialized, high-reliability components for established aircraft programs. The release does not give a delivery schedule for the new order.
How the order builds on F-22 and F-16 work
Fighter programs
On April 2, 2026, Mobix Labs reported new and expanded activity on the F-22 Raptor program from Irvine, California, including a new customer and increased demand from an existing partner. That release described the combined activity as “approximately a five-fold increase in component orders,” with production underway to support deliveries in 2026.
On September 8, 2026, the company announced its initial F-16 connector order, placed by a veteran-owned U.S. aerospace sustainment contractor that supports the Air Force F-16 fleet. Those EMI-filtered connectors are made by its EMI Solutions unit at a military-approved facility in Irvine. The September release noted that the Air Force’s F-16 Service Life Extension Program extends upgraded aircraft from an original 8,000-hour service life to as much as 12,000 flight hours, supporting operation of parts of the fleet toward 2050.
Beyond fighters
According to the September release, Mobix Labs components are used on the F-22 Raptor, F-35 Lightning II, F/A-18 Super Hornet and F-16 Fighting Falcon. Its wider portfolio includes Apache helicopters, U.S. Navy shipboard secure communications systems, missile programs, Gulfstream aircraft, where AirPro News covered its Gulfstream component orders, and certified onboard systems for Boeing 737NG aircraft. The company operates through subsidiaries including EMI Solutions and RaGE Systems.
For scale, Mobix Labs said in an earlier release listed on its Business Wire page that revenue for its fiscal fourth quarter of 2026, which ended September 30, 2026, would exceed $1.6 million, the midpoint of guidance of $1.4 million to $1.8 million issued on August 17, 2026.
The commercial backlog behind the pitch
To support the commercial side of the order, Mobix Labs cites figures from ADS, the UK trade association for aerospace, defence, security and space. In data published on August 31, 2026, ADS said the global commercial aircraft backlog reached a record 17,037 aircraft in July 2026, equal to more than 12 years of production at current delivery rates.
ADS reported that 1,573 aircraft were ordered in the first seven months of 2026, up 31% on the same period of 2025. Deliveries for January to July reached 794, the strongest performance for that period since 2018, but ADS said the backlog keeps growing because demand exceeds production, and it acknowledged supply chain and industrial challenges. Mobix Labs said engine supply is a critical factor in the pace of deliveries.
The company said it believes its U.S.-based manufacturing and its experience with high-reliability components position it for more military and commercial work. Its release also states that no assurance can be given of additional orders or revenue.
MRO & Manufacturing
Lufthansa Technik Extends PSA Airlines CF34 Engine Services Deal
Lufthansa Technik AERO Alzey has signed a new multi-year CF34-8 engine services deal with PSA Airlines, a customer of more than 26 years.
Lufthansa Technik AERO Alzey and PSA Airlines have signed a new multi-year agreement for CF34-8 engine services, extending a customer relationship that Lufthansa Technik says spans more than 26 years. The engines power PSA’s fleet of 60 CRJ700 and 94 CRJ900 regional jets.
Lufthansa Technik announced the agreement in a press release dated November 5, 2026, datelined Alzey and Charlotte. AERO Alzey, a wholly owned Lufthansa Technik subsidiary, will continue to provide comprehensive CF34-8 services to the American Airlines Group regional carrier.
What the agreement covers
Under the agreement, AERO Alzey will provide maintenance, performance restoration shop visits, on-site support, life limited part replacement shop visits and module shop visits. Lufthansa Technik did not disclose the value or the exact term of the contract beyond describing it as multi-year.
The company said the relationship is among the longest-standing in AERO Alzey’s CF34 engine business and has grown alongside PSA’s fleet growth and operational needs.
Matthew Key, Vice President of Technical Operations Strategy and Sourcing at PSA Airlines, said: “Relationships like this don’t last 26 years because of contracts.” He credited mutual reliability, mutual support and a focus on delivering results. Judith Wedlich-Blender, Chief Operations Officer of Lufthansa Technik AERO Alzey, said: “Every engine we maintain in Alzey represents much more than a technical component.”
The carrier and the engine shop
PSA Airlines is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines Group and flies regional service as American Eagle. It has more than 5,500 employees and operates over 730 daily flights to more than 100 destinations across the United States. The carrier has also invested in its own maintenance infrastructure, including a Knoxville maintenance base that AirPro News covered in April 2025.
Lufthansa Technik AERO Alzey GmbH provides manufacturer-independent engine maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services for regional passenger aircraft and the latest-generation medium-haul jet engines. It has operated for over 35 years at its facility in Alzey, in the Rhine-Hessian region, where the 71,000 square meter site employs around 800 people. Its parent, Lufthansa Technik, employs more than 22,000 people worldwide.
Lufthansa Technik’s other recent engine news includes Flair Airlines’ 15-year LEAP-1B deal, covered by AirPro News in September 2026, and an expansion of Lufthansa Technik Engine Services in Tulsa, which the company’s newsroom lists under October 21, 2026.
MRO & Manufacturing
Liebherr-Aerospace Opens Sydney Office for Australasian Customers
Liebherr-Aerospace has opened a representative office in Sydney to serve Australia and New Zealand ahead of major Qantas fleet programs.
Liebherr-Aerospace has opened a representative office in Sydney to serve customers across Australia and New Zealand, as the Australian market prepares for major fleet programs including Qantas Group’s Project Sunrise. The office sits within the Liebherr Group’s existing facility in Pyrmont, New South Wales.
The company announced the opening in a press release dated November 5, 2026. It said the office will strengthen existing relationships, build new local ones and improve customer services in a region where aviation is undergoing significant fleet renewal and investment.
Why Australia and New Zealand
Liebherr-Aerospace described Australia and New Zealand as important markets for both commercial aviation and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) activities. The release ties the timing to three fleet programs in the Australian market: Project Sunrise with the Airbus A350-1000ULR, the introduction of the Airbus A321XLR and the modernization of the regional fleet of Qantas Airways (QF).
Joël Cadaux, Asia-Pacific Regional Head for the Aerospace & Transportation Division, said: “We are very pleased to be closer to our customers in Australia and New Zealand.” Andrew Schultz, Managing Director of Liebherr-Australia Pty Ltd, welcomed the division to the group’s Sydney facility. Liebherr-Australia has provided machinery, services and technical support across Australia since 1981.
How the office fits the Liebherr-Aerospace network
Liebherr-Aerospace supplies flight control and actuation systems, landing gear, air management systems, and gears, gearboxes and electronics for civil and military aircraft and helicopters. Its centers of excellence include Liebherr-Aerospace Lindenberg GmbH in Germany, for flight control, actuation, gears, gearboxes and landing gear systems, and Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse SAS in France, for air management systems. The Lindenberg company, founded in 1960, employs 3,490 people.
The Sydney office follows a similar regional step in India. In February 2019, Liebherr-Aerospace opened a larger regional office in Bangalore to support Indian operators, manufacturers and suppliers and to coordinate projects with Lindenberg and Toulouse. At the time, its customer service network also included centers in Singapore and Shanghai.
The company’s recent MRO work in the wider region includes China Airlines’ A350 nose landing gear contract, served through an asset exchange in Singapore. In Europe, it opened a heat transfer equipment center in France in October 2026.
Liebherr-Aerospace did not disclose how many people will work at the Sydney office.
-
Technology & Innovation6 days agoArcher Aviation and ITA Airways Partner on Italy eVTOL Network
-
MRO & Manufacturing6 days agoI Squared Capital Acquires Orizon Aerostructures for $2 Billion
-
Regulations & Safety3 days agoSchiphol Airport Traffic Decree Takes Effect With 478,000 Flight Cap
-
Aircraft Orders & Deliveries2 days agoAvolon Finalizes Record Lessor Order for 140 Boeing 737-10 Jets
-
Regulations & Safety6 days agoEASA Annual Safety Review 2026 European Aviation Safety