MAB Engineering Services Boosts MRO Capabilities with Piedmont Propulsion and Meraque Services Partnerships

MAB Engineering Services (MABES), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), is making significant strides in the Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) industry, solidifying its position as a leading provider of MRO services.

(from left) Eke Nazri Rahim, Chief Operating Officer of MABES and Suria Affandi, COO Meraque Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Socialist Republic, His

Singapore, 26 September 2024 – MAB Engineering Services (MABES), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), is making significant strides in the Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) industry, solidifying its position as a leading provider of MRO services. MABES recently secured significant contracts and partnerships during the MRO Asia Pacific 2024 that took place in Singapore, gathering over 5,000 MRO players within the region, unlocking new growth prospects and further enhancing MAG’s market leadership. MABES entered into a Service Agreement with Piedmont Propulsion Systems, LLC (PPS), a key subsidiary of First Aviation Services Inc. based in North Carolina, USA. This renewal builds on their technological joint venture initiated in 2020 and will support MABES’ propeller maintenance operations, including a two-year contract for Firefly’s Propeller Blade Maintenance Programme. The programme encompasses comprehensive inspections, repairs, and exchanges for the airline’s ATR72 aircraft propellers, further enhancing MABES’ existing services, while delivering tangible benefits to MAG’s operations. In addition, MABES signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Meraque Services, a leading provider of drone-powered and AI-driven solutions for managing critical capital assets across various sectors, including agriculture, telecommunications, and warehousing. This long-term partnership aims to integrate innovative technologies such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), Autonomous Ground Vehicles (AGVs), and Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions into MABES’s operations. These advancements, which include inspecting aircraft using drones, facilitating efficient parts transfers, predictive maintenance and enhancing digitalisation, will reduce aircraft ground time and improve MRO data accuracy. These MoUs represent a strategic advantage for MAG by positioning MABES at the forefront of emerging MRO technologies and innovations, enabling the Group to capture new growth opportunities within the MRO sector while elevating the customer experience through improved operational efficiency. The agreements were signed by Eke Nazri Rahim, Chief Operating Officer of MABES, and Paul Bolton, President and Chief Executive Officer of First Aviation Services Inc., as well as Suria Affandi, Chief Operating Officer of Meraque Services. Eke Nazri Rahim, Chief Operating Officer of MABES, said , “ MABES is committed to delivering top-notch services to all our customers, with safety as our utmost priority. As the turboprop fleet is expected to grow by 1.2% over the next 10 years, with ATRs widely used by MAG and other operators in the region, our partnership with PPS positions MABES as a one-stop shop for high-quality, cost-efficient, and fast-turnaround services for turboprop operators. Meanwhile, through our collaboration with Meraque, we aim to enhance workplace safety, reduce costs, and improve work efficiency, reinforcing our unique selling proposition to MAG and third-party customers and further strengthening our capabilities as an MRO provider. ” Paul Bolton, President and Chief Executive Officer of First Aviation Services Inc., said, “PPS values the relationship we have built with MABES over the past 4 years and are excited to work together to provide a high-quality in-region solution for MAG. PPS recognise the importance of having local propeller maintenance support in SE Asia as the ATR fleet continues to grow, and having a partner as strong as MABES makes perfect sense. Our goal is to use the structure developed to secure the Firefly contract to develop support for the region through full major inspection capability and exchanges.” Suria Affandi, Chief Operating Officer of Meraque Services, said, “ With the aim to support the expansion of Digitalization Transformation in Aircraft Maintenance, Meraque as a leader in innovative of drone-powered solutions through this collaboration, committed in delivering cutting-edge technology to enhance the existing maintenance with bringing the adaptation of our expertise in other industries – telecommunication, telecommunication and logistics in key markets including Indonesia, Uzbekistan, Philippines and across global. Additionally, we are holding part of the objective to train and upskill talents in the solution through our Academy arm emphasizing technology knowledge transfer as the first steps of new revolution in aircraft maintenance.” Through these strategic partnerships and signings, MABES is poised to enhance its service offerings, strengthen its leadership position, and drive the future of aviation maintenance and repair.