History

1913The nucleus

MTU no doubt had its origin in the aircraft engine factory founded in 1913 by Karl Rapp at Munich's Oberwiesenfeld.

1917Bayerische Motorenwerke (BMW) launched

In 1917, Rapp Motorenwerke became Bayerische Motorenwerke (BMW) from which in 1934 a spin-off emerged, BMW Flugmotorenbau GmbH, a milestone in the history of MTU.

1918BMW Illa – the "Bavarian engine"

Founded in 1917, BMW rapidly grew to become the world's third-largest engine maker, with 3,500 personnel earning their bread and butter at its Munich facility. In 1918 they started manufacturing the BMW Illa engine, which also became known as the "Bavarian engine". BMW had emerged in 1917 from the Munich-based Rapp Motorenwerke GmbH.

1925Daimler and Benz: aircraft engine expertise

From the very beginning, Daimler and Benz played a significant part in the development and production of aircraft engines. After Daimler equipped the zeppelin LZ1 airship with its engines, the company in 1925 began developing its DB 600, a landmark engine whose basic design continued through subsequent generations of Daimler-Benz aircraft engines. It was this know-how of Daimler-Benz AG, Germany's leading engine manufacturer in the 1940's, that largely helped the later MTU gain the leadership position it now enjoys.

1926The Daimler-Benz merger

After the conclusion of World War I, aircraft engine production suffered under the constraints imposed by the Versailles Treaty. Engine makers were therefore compelled to diversify their product lines. Simultaneously, the need to cooperate became increasingly apparent. In 1926, Daimler and Benz merged, laying the foundation of a uniquely successful corporate history. BMW in turn collaborated closely with Pratt & Whitney and when the dictates of the Versailles Treaty were lifted, vigorously returned to aircraft engine making.

1934Launch of BMW Flugmotoren GmbH

On December 22, 1934, BMW AG divested its BMW Flugmotorenbau GmbH in an attempt to duck the growing pressure the Nazis exerted also on this sector of the production history.

1936Manufacturing aircraft engines at Allach

BMW Flugmotorenbau GmbH in 1936 moved into the new factory it had built at Allach on the outskirts of Munich. This is where the MTU Aero Engines is located today.

1940Large-scale production in Munich-Allach

With the BMW 801, BMW Flugmotorenbau GmbH developed the first German twin-row radial engine. With the Nazi regime’s ever-expanding military build-up and the subsequent war, during which the BMW 801 found extensive use as the powerplant for a number of fighter aircraft, among them the Focke-Wulf Fw190, the company pushed the speed of development and the scale of production to the limits of its capacity. Sadly it even went far beyond, especially towards the end of the war, when thousands of forced laborers had to work at the plant to further increase its output. After just two years of development, the first engines were delivered in 1940, and production — which mainly took place in Munich-Allach — was ramped up to around 1,000 units per month by early 1944. In all, the company produced some 30,000 BMW 801s.

1945The post-war era

At the conclusion of World War II, the production of aircraft engines was halted when the factory was occupied by U.S. troops. It was largely spared the fate of dismantling, not uncommon at the time, and did not build any more aircraft engines until much later, in 1955.

1954A new beginning

The shift in the German political landscape (air sovereignty, rearmament) put the issue of aircraft and aircraft engine production back on the agenda. In this context, the launch of BMW Studiengesellschaft on January 22, 1954, marked a new beginning and return, if ever so modest, to aircraft engine development on the northern outskirts of Munich. It also signaled another step forward on the route to today's MTU.

1955Repair depot for U.S. Army vehicles and artillery

After U.S. troops had occupied the factory, they turned the BMW-Flugmotorenwerk into a shop that repaired Army vehicles and artillery of all types sent there from all over Europe.

1957Launch of BMW Triebwerkbau GmbH

In 1957, BMW founded BMW Triebwerkbau GmbH in Allach to resume engine production under license agreements. It started out overhauling U.S.-made engines and then began assembling U.S.-made components.

1959License manufacture of J79 engine powering the Starfighter aircraft

In the German armed forces' second procurement phase, the company began in 1959 to produce J79-11A engines under license from GE. These engines powered the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter.

196050% stake

In 1960, MAN acquired a 50% stake in BMW Triebwerkbau GmbH.

1965Merger to create M.A.N. Turbo GmbH

After M.A.N. had acquired a 50% role in BMW Triebwerkbau GmbH back in 1960, that company merged with M.A.N. Turbomotoren GmbH in 1965 to form M.A.N., with BMW shedding its aircraft engine activities. The new company additionally won orders for the license production of engines powering the Breguet Atlantic reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft and the military C-160 Transall transport.

1969A new chapter: MTU is founded

1969 was the year when mankind realized an old dream – that of setting foot on the moon and returning safely to earth. That same year, the engine activities of Daimler-Benzer and M.A.N. were joined on July 11 to form MTU Motoren- und Turbinen-Union München GmbH M.A.N. Maybach Mercedes-Benz. It was not as much a launch of a completely new company as the consolidation of Daimler-Benz' heavy-duty diesel engine activities with M.A.N.'s turbine engine activities. The newly founded MTU group included MTU München (aircraft engines) and MTU Friedrichshafen (diesel engines) with a combined workforce of almost 11,000 at the time.

1969Success story in the 1970s: the Tornado

1969 also was the year when development of an engine began that turned out be MTU's most successful engine program ever, the RB199-34R powering the Tornado multirole combat aircraft. To develop that engine, MTU, Rolls-Royce and FiatAvio had formed a joint company, Turbo-Union Ltd. which in October 1969 won the production contract for the RB199 engine.

1971Invading the commercial engine market

In the 1970s, development of commercial engines began playing an even more significant part in the company's activities that had been focused almost entirely on military business. After M.A.N. Turbo, MTU's precursor, had previously made forays into the commercial engine sector, MTU began to methodically expand these efforts. In 1971, a cooperation agreement was signed with GE that gave MTU a manufacturing role in the CF6-50 engine powering the Airbus A300.

1979Demand-driven diversification

Growing demand for engine maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services caused MTU in 1979 to form MTU Maintenance Hannover, at Langenhagen and separate its MRO activities from the manufacturing activities in Munich. And as MRO demand continued to rise, MTU launched another shop, MTU Maintenance Berlin-Brandenburg, at Ludwigsfelde near Berlin in 1991. The early focus of these shops was on maintenance, test runs and worldwide services.

1983MTU takes stake in V2500

IAE (International Aero Engines) is formed to develop and market the V2500 engine. Founding members are MTU Aero Engines, Rolls-Royce, Pratt & Whitney, Japanese Aero Engines Corporation JAEC and FiatAvio. In the 1990s, the Fiat group withdraws from IAE and its stakes are taken over in equal shares by Rolls-Royce and Pratt & Whitney.

1985MTU becomes a wholly-owned Daimler-Benz affiliate

M.A.N. AG sold its 50% stake in the company to Daimler-Benz AG, making MTU a wholly-owned Daimler-Benz company. That same year, MTU and Pratt & Whitney Canada begin cooperating.

1986MTU takes stake in EJ200

In 1986, Eurojet Turbo GmbH is founded by Spain, Italy, Great Britain and the Federal Republic of Germany as a consortium for the development and production of the EJ200 engine for the Eurofighter. Shareholders are MTU Aero Engines, Rolls-Royce, FiatAvio and ITP.

1989Launch of Deutsche Aerospace (DASA)

On May 19, 1989, the MTU group was integrated into the newly established Deutsche Aerospace AG, or Dasa for short, which also comprised parts of AEG as well as Dornier and MBB. This move brought almost all of the German aerospace industry together under one roof. Daimler-Benz had grown into a conglomerate that manufactured engines, vehicles and aerospace equipment for transportation on land and sea as well as in air and space. Former Daimler CEO Edzard Reuter's vision of an integrated technology group had become reality.

1989Power for the "Tiger“

The company MTR is founded by MTU, Safran Helicopter Engines and Rolls-Royce. Under the cooperative effort, the MTR390 turboshaft engine, which features a free power turbine, is built. It powers the Franco-German Tiger escort and antitank helicopter. An uprated version, dubbed the MTR390 Enhanced is developed later on by the MTRI consortium for export customers Australia and Spain. MTU's stake in the MTR390 includes the core engine with its combustor and gas generator turbine, plus a number of accessories.

1990The slump

Between 1992 and 1995, MTU was hard hit by the turbulence rocking the global market. A 50% slip in military orders, a simultaneous falloff in commercial business and a plunging dollar all conspired to bring MTU heavy losses that seriously threatened its very existence. Aggressive restructuring and a strategic expansion of its line of products and services, however, soon relieved the company's economic woes.

1991Launch of MTU Maintenance Berlin-Brandenburg and MTU Maintenance Malaysia

In the 1990's, MTU's MRO activities grew in keeping with rising demand for engine services. It naturally followed that the company launched another repair shop in 1991, this time on the premises of the former state-owned Luftfahrttechnik shop at Germany's Ludwigsfelde, where in the days of the former GDR military engines had been serviced and repaired. This military pattern was continued in the earlier phase of the new MTU shop which initially provided repair services mostly for engines of the German forces.

In November 1991 Airfoil Services was set up as a joint venture between Malaysia Airlines and MTU Maintenance Hannover. Today, Airfoil services is a joint venture between MTU and Lufthansa Technik.

1991Strong with strong partners

To meet the challenges of the global market of the 1990s, the need to enter into strategic alliances and cooperative ventures became increasingly apparent. In 1991, MTU and Pratt & Whitney signed an agreement on a strategic alliance for global cooperation in the commercial turbine engine sector, with the partners agreeing to involve each other as preferred partners in emerging commercial engine programs. 

1998Turnaround

While in 1995 the company's existence was still in serious jeopardy, strategic expansion of the company's portfolio of products and services, precipitated product development, launch of global affiliates (MTU Maintenance Canada in 1998) and sweeping restructuring turned MTU around. Innovative production processes, a rollover of military technology into the commercial sector and participation in long-term technology programs (Engine 3E and others) became the major drivers behind the company's upswing.

1999Globalization

Progressive globalization was marked by the launch of the MTU Aero Engine Design and MTU Maintenance do Brasil Ltda. affiliates.

In 1999, MTU and Honeywell (formerly known as AlliedSignal) founded "Vericor Power Systems" as a 50/50 joint venture. The company, based in Alpharetta (Georgia, U.S.A.), was then taken over in its entirety by MTU in 2002, including all the rights to the TF series of gas turbines.

2000MTU: a directly managed DaimlerChrysler company

When European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) was founded in July 2000, MTU became a directly managed DaimlerChrysler affiliate. The reshuffle brought a comprehensive change in the company's corporate identity, turning MTU München into MTU Aero Engines. Its repair shops were renamed MTU Maintenance, plus the name of the respective location (MTU Maintenance Berlin-Brandenburg, etc.).

That same year, MTU Aero Engine Components were launched.

2000Launch of MTU Maintenance Zhuhai

The German engine manufacturer has had presence in China since 2000. By setting up a 50/50 joint venture with China Southern Airlines, China's largest airline, MTU has established a strong foothold in the Asian growth market.

2002Cooperation with the Armed Forces

MTU and the German Armed Forces have been blazing new trails in their cooperation since 2002: To optimize the support of the Eurofighter engine EJ200 they developed the industry-military cooperative model of engine maintenance where the work is performed at a single site: MTU's Munich facility. This saves cost, time and resources and helps the GAF maintain its engine know-how. The model was later expanded to include the RB199, J79, RR250-C20 and MTR390 engines.

2002 Entry into a commercial core engine

Pratt & Whitney's PW6000 is provided with a high-pressure compressor made by MTU Aero Engines. This marks the first time MTU has responsibility for a commercial core engine component. With additional engineering and production stakes in the high-pressure compressor, MTU holds an 18 percent workshare as a risk-and-revenue sharing partner in the program.

2003Major partner in the TP400-D6

As the main German partner in the TP400-D6, the exclusive powerplant for the Airbus A400M military transport, MTU Aero Engines provides high-tech hardware: it is responsible for the entire intermediate-pressure spool and in partnership with France's Safran Aircraft Engines, also contributes the engine control unit. Production testing and delivery is performed exclusively by MTU's Ludwigsfelde location, which has the sole pan-European assembly line for the powerplant.

MTU, Safran Aircraft Engines and Rolls-Royce are the major partners in the TP400-D6 engine consortium Europrop International (EPI), with each of the companies holding 28 percent. The fourth partner is Spain's ITP, which has a program share of 16 percent.

2003Subsidiary renamed MTU Aena

That same year, MTU pools its activities on the U.S. market and merges MTU Aero Engine Design and MTU Aero Engine Components, which now come under the umbrella of MTU Aero Engines North America (MTU AENA).

2004KKR acquires MTU Aero Engines

January 1, 2004: MTU Aero Engines now is a subsidiary of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR), after DaimlerChrysler sold it the company lock, stock and barrel. KKR, a U.S. private-equity investor, has agreed to keep MTU's strategic alignment and operational business intact, including the company's close partnership with Pratt & Whitney and the involvement of Germany's leading engine manufacturer in current and emerging commercial and military programs.

2005IPO of MTU Aero Engines Holding AG

June 6: The stock of MTU Aero Engines Holding AG is traded on the stock market for the first time, the emission price being 21 €. The stock is more than seven times over-subscribed. The greenshoe option has been fully exercised by June 10. On September 19, 2005 the stock is included in the mid-cap MDAX index.

2006Partner in GE's F414 engine

Under a new risk-and-revenue sharing agreement, MTU acquires a 2.5-percent workshare in GE's F414 fighter aircraft engine, contributing the high-pressure compressor spool and the shrouds for the high-pressure and low-pressure turbines. The move marks the company's foray into the U.S. military market. The F414 powers the U.S. Navy's twin-jet F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter aircraft.

2007Launch of MTU Aero Engines Polska

The youngest scion in MTU's group pf companies is MTU Aero Engines Polska. The company is being set up on a seven hectare plot in Poland's "Aviation Valley". The new foreign affiliate develops and manufactures low-pressure turbine airfoils, assembles LPT modules, and repairs engine parts using high-tech machinery and MTU's innovative repair processes for which the company is renowned worldwide.

2007Claire I

To make tomorrow's engines quieter and to reduce their fuel consumption and pollutant emissions, the Clean Air Engine (Claire) technology agenda was launched. Here, MTU's key technologies are being combined into a commercial propulsion system that, in the year 2050, will burn 40 percent less fuel, will reduce CO2 emissions by the same amount, and will cut noise by 65 percent. Plans are to achieve the CO2 and noise targets defined by the European aviation industry and research community in the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) in three stages.

2008Emirates A380 enters into revenue service

The Arab airline initially uses the world’s largest airliner on the Dubai - New York route. Emirates is by far the largest A380 customer and has selected the GP7000 to power its aircraft. MTU Aero Engines has a 22.5 percent share in this propulsion system. The Munich-based engine manufacturer builds the low-pressure turbine, the turbine center frame, and components of the high-pressure turbine.

2008MTU takes stakes in the GEnx and the T408 engines

MTU Aero Engine takes on an 18-percent share in the T408 helicopter engine. This is the first time that the company acts as a development participant in a U.S. military engine program. MTU is responsible mainly for the T408's power turbine module; T408 models will be used to power the emerging European Heavy Transport Helicopter (HTH).

MTU also takes 6.6 percent role in GE's GEnx engine, manufacturing the turbine center frame, for which it also assumes development responsibility. The engine powers the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Boeing 747-8 long-haul airliner and 747-8 freighter version.

2010 MTU Maintenance obtains a license for the GE90

MTU Maintenance Hannover obtains a license to maintain the GE90-110/115, the world’s most powerful commercial jet engine, expanding the high end of its product offerings. A mere nine months later, the Hannover-based shop has acquired its first three maintenance customers for the huge engine. The two GE90 versions power the Boeing 777, the world’s largest twin-engine airliner. 

2010 Airbus launches the A320neo

The European aircraft manufacturer decides to build a markedly improved version of the A320 family of aircraft – the A320neo. What sets this aircraft apart from others is its engines; they contribute significantly to a 16-percent reduction in fuel burn and carbon dioxide emissions and cuts noise footprint levels by 75 percent. MTU Aero Engines has a stake in the PW1100G-JM, the first engine selected to power the A320neo. 

2011MTU takes an 18-percent stake in the PW1100G-JM

MTU Aero Engines takes a program workshare of 18 percent in the Pratt & Whitney GTF PW1100G-JM geared turbofan™* engine. The propulsion system powers the Airbus A320neo family of aircraft. In the PW1100G-JM program, MTU is responsible for the high-speed low-pressure turbine and contributes half of the high-pressure compressor; it will also perform the final assembly of about one third of the engines to be manufactured. 

2011TP400 receives type certification

The engine to power the Airbus Military A400M airlifter obtains type certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The TP400-D6 is the most powerful western turboprop; the engine program is being managed by the European Europrop International (EPI) consortium. MTU Aero Engines is a partner in EPI and has responsibility for the intermediate-pressure compressor, intermediate-pressure turbine and intermediate pressure shaft, for the control unit software, and for final assembly and production acceptance testing of the engines. 

2011MTU Maintenance Dallas

MTU Maintenance Dallas is MTU’s center of excellence for on-wing and on-site services. In August 2011, MTU Aero Engines has acquired a 75-percent share in former on-wing service specialist Retan Aerospace. The broad engine portfolio includes the CF34, CFM56, V2500, CF6, GE90, PW2000 and PW4000. In October 2013, it moved to an enlarged facility thereby expanding its engine maintenance and associated storage capacity. The company provides rapid response to maintenance needs, whether scheduled or unscheduled. By adding MTU Maintenance Dallas’s expertise to its network, MTU aims to further improve the range of on-wing services for its customer base in the U.S. and the Americas.

2012MTU builds a new production shop

MTU Aero Engines begins to build an entirely new production shop at its headquarters in Munich. This is where it will be producing compressor blisks for the Pure-Power® PW1000G geared turbofan™ engine. MTU is one of the leading blisk manufacturers in the world; from 2020 on, up to 3,000 of these highly advanced compressors will be built every year.

2013MTU's future: Claire II/III

What sets the GTF propulsion system apart is that it features a reduction gearbox between the fan and low-pressure shaft on which the low-pressure compressor and low-pressure turbine that drives the fan are seated. This increases efficiency and reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 16 percent. By 2030, CO2 emission will be cut by approx. 25 percent and the noise level further reduced as a result of continued optimization. 

In the third and last stage of Claire, major changes are envisaged that may well go beyond today's gas turbine technology. Jointly with universities and other research establishments, MTU is conducting studies for this phase. Among the options under review are the use of highly efficient heat engines with extremely high pressures or the embodiment of recuperative elements to improve the thermodynamic cycle process. Other conceivable concepts include shielded propellers or fans distributed around the fuselage. The goal is achieve a 40-percent reduction in fuel burn by 2050.

2013MTU and Sumitomo Corporation combine competence in engine lease business

MTU Maintenance and Japan-based Sumitomo Corporation, one of the largest trading companies worldwide, have set up two new joint venture companies to jointly expand their commercial aircraft engine lease business.
MTU Maintenance Lease Services B.V., an 80:20 joint venture of MTU Maintenance and Sumitomo Corporation based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, provides airlines, MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) providers and lessors with short- and medium-term lease solutions. SMBC Aero Engine Lease B.V., a 90:10 joint venture of Sumitomo Corporation and MTU Aero Engines, focuses on long-term lease arrangements for its customers.
As part of their cooperation, MTU Maintenance provides Sumitomo Corporation with technical assistance and extensive MRO know-how, especially on engine programs that are part of MTU’s portfolio. These include the CFM56, the V2500, the GE90, the CF34, the CF6, and the PW2000. Moreover, MTU Maintenance contributes its detailed knowledge of future engine programs.

* Geared Turbofan™ is a trademark application of Pratt & Whitney.

2013One of the first

MTU Aero Engines becomes one of the first companies in the industry to begin manufacturing production components using additive methods. It uses selective laser melting (SLM) at its Munich location to make borescope bosses for the PW1100G-JM engine that powers the A320neo. In this method, the 3D model of the component is “sliced” into individual layers on a computer. Then, using this as a blueprint, the laser melts powdered material to form the component layer by layer on a platform.

2014MTU participates in the GE9X engine for the new “Triple Seven”

When executive officers of GE, MTU Aero Engines, IHI Corporation, Safran Aircraft Engines and Safran Aero Boosters met at the Farnborough International Airshow in mid-July, they signed a contract that heralds a new era in engine history: the partner contract for the GE9X program. The new engine will be the exclusive power plant for Boeing’s 777X long-haul jetliner, which is scheduled to enter service in 2020.
(Photo: Boeing)

2014Logistics center officially opened

The new, 5,600 square-meter logistics center with currently two stories will house incoming goods, customs and foreign trade, and receiving inspection all under one roof. The investment in the amount of some ten million euros had become necessary in anticipation of the increase in production volumes over the next few years as a result of the ramp-ups in the PW1000G-JM and other programs. “The new shop allows us to make workflows in the internal logistics chain appreciably more efficient,” said Martens. “We’ve made it a point to make sure we achieve a high level of standardization and have highly streamlined processes in place.”

2015 Milestone: 15,000 Shop Visits

Milestone at MTU Maintenance: 35 years after it was founded, the company celebrates the completion of its 15,000th shop visit. The engine in question is a CF34-10E, which was shipped to Aeroméxico Connect following overhaul at MTU Maintenance Berlin-Brandenburg. As an authorized service provider, the Ludwigsfelde location specializes in the CF34 and is also the first independent provider in the world that can support all versions in the engine family.

2015Flight test of A320neo successfully completed

Airbus successfully completes its flight test campaign for the A320neo powered by the PW1100G-JM engine. Starting in September 2014, three prototypes made 350 flights, ultimately logging a total of 1,070 hours in the air. In consequence, the aviation authorities in Europe (EASA) and the United States (FAA) granted approval for the A320neo with the Geared Turbofan™ as its propulsion system.

2015Sikorsky CH-53K takes off for its maiden flight

The new Sikorsky CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter, powered by the T408 engine, takes off from West Palm Beach for its maiden flight in October. This marks the start of an estimated 2,000 hours of flight testing. Over a typical mission radius of 200 kilometers, the helicopter can transport payloads of over twelve metric tons.

2016Geared Turbofan enters passenger service

The first aircraft powered by the Geared Turbofan^TM enter passenger service: Lufthansa flies the first A320neo in January, and Swiss follows with the A220 in July. MTU is very much involved with the new engines in Pratt & Whitney’s GTF family, which offer double-digit percentage reductions in fuel consumption, pollution and noise emissions as well as operating costs.

2017Smooth two-hour maiden flight

In March, industry eyes turn towards Brazil and the maiden flight of the Embraer E195-E2. The regional jet takes off for the first time just three weeks after the ceremonial rollout. Powered by two PW1900G engines, the aircraft returns to the airport at Sao José des Campos after a smooth two-hour flight.

2017New location in Rzeszów, Poland

In the fall, MTU Aero Engines and Lufthansa Technik reach an agreement to set up a joint maintenance company for Geared Turbofan™ engines, with each company holding 50 percent of the shares. The new location in Rzeszów, Poland, is scheduled to start operations at the end of 2019 and will employ some 1,000 people over the medium term. Plans are in place to install enough capacity for the location to handle over 400 shop visits per year.

2017MTU, DLR and GKN launch collaboration

MTU, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and GKN launch an extensive collaboration for researching lightweight aircraft engines. The objective is to improve the way low-pressure compressor, transition channel and high-pressure compressor work together in order to identify and tap into new potential to make engines even more fuel-efficient. Their findings will be incorporated into the next generation of Geared Turbofans™.

2018MTU Maintenance Canada enlarges portfolio

Following the expansion of its maintenance capacities, MTU Maintenance Canada overhauls its first V2500 in early summer. By adding the engine to the portfolio of its Canadian subsidiary, MTU consolidates its market position and creates capacities for growth in preparation for the expected upswing in maintenance business with the V2500 through the early 2020s.

2018MTU Power

New member of the MTU family: With the new MTU Power brand, the company pools its gas turbine expertise from Aero Solutions, brush seals and MTU Maintenance. The overall goal is to combine MTU’s extensive experience and know-how with its creative “nothing is impossible” mentality in one brand.

2018MTU Aero Engines Polska again expands its high-tech facility in Poland’s Aviation Valley

Groundbreaking for the next building expansion at MTU Aero Engines Polska: The facility increases its existing floor space by 11,400 square meters and boosts its headcount by roughly one quarter. The move is prompted by the tremendous advances made in the field of additive manufacturing technologies and the sharp increase in the MTU Group’s production rates. Of the total of 11,400 square meters of added floor space, 7,500 square meters are dedicated to production and 3,900 square meters are used to provide additional space required, as, for example, for production support activities.

2018MTU Maintenance Berlin-Brandenburg sets up new logistics center

A new logistics center is going up at MTU’s MRO facility based in Ludwigsfelde. The additional floor space of around 6,500 square meters is needed to cater for the location’s continued growth. Thus, for instance, the number of operating hours has risen 30 percent between 2016 and 2018 and is expected to increase further in the two-digit percentage range in the years to come. At the same time, this construction project affirms MTU’s commitment to continuing to cater to the needs of its customers worldwide in an optimum and flexible manner – true to its motto ‘Excellence made in Brandenburg’.

2018Lufthansa Technik and MTU Aero Engines lay foundation stone for joint MRO shop in Poland

EME Aero is a 50/50 joint venture of Lufthansa Technik and MTU Aero Engines and will offer MRO services for the geared turbofan (GTF) engine family. By 2020, the two partners will invest a total of 150 million euros in the world’s largest and most advanced MRO shop for GTF engines. The new facility will be equipped with the most advanced disassembly, assembly and testing system, which will enable extremely efficient flow line processes. The facility based in Jasionka near Rzeszów in southeastern Poland is located in the immediate vicinity of MTU Aero Engines Polska.

2018NEFE: Safran and MTU Aero Engines join forces to develop the next-generation European fighter engine

France’s Safran Aircraft Engines and Germany’s MTU Aero Engines will jointly lead the development, the production and the after-sales support of the new engine that will power the next-generation combat aircraft as part of the Franco-German Future Combat Air System (FCAS), which will enter into service by 2040. Under the partnership, Safran Aircraft Engines will take the lead in engine design and integration, and MTU Aero Engines will take the lead in engine services. MTU Aero Engines will be in charge of the low-pressure and high-pressure compressors and the low-pressure turbine, while Safran will be responsible for the combustor, the high-pressure turbine and the afterburner.

2019MTU celebrates anniversaries

The MTU Group celebrates a number of anniversaries in 2019: 85 years ago, BMW Flugmotorenbau GmbH, MTU’s predecessor, was founded, and 50 years ago, MTU Motoren- und Turbinen-Union München GmbH M.A.N. Maybach Mercedes-Benz was set up. 40 years ago, in 1979, the company made its first foray into the commercial maintenance business, setting up MTU Maintenance Hannover in Langenhagen. 1999 marked the foundation of Vericor Power Systems, and May 2009 saw the inauguration of MTU Aero Engines Polska, located near Rzeszów in southeastern Poland.

2019New repair facility in Serbia

MTU Aero Engines AG and the government of the Republic of Serbia sign a letter of intent with the aim of establishing a new company location in the Belgrade region. As one of the world’s largest MRO providers, MTU is looking to expand its existing network by adding a location dedicated exclusively to the repair of engine parts. 

2019Tenth anniversary of MTU Aero Engines Polska

It was in 2010 that the company began production of its first engine components with a workforce of 200 employees. Today, the location in Poland’s Aviation Valley near Rzeszów has about 900 employees—and is an indispensable pillar in the MTU manufacturing network. As a German-Polish success story, the site is successively expanding its portfolio and thereby playing a truly significant part in the production ramp-up of the new programs. Equipped with the latest infrastructure, it implements state-of-the-art technologies such as high-speed milling or additive processes.

2019MTU Aero Engines takes stake in the new hybrid-electric small aircraft

MTU Aero Engines is collaborating on the hybrid electric Silent Air Taxi, developed by e.SAT GmbH in Aachen, and its unique hybrid electric powertrain. The powertrain is being developed by e.SAT Powertrain GmbH, a subsidiary of e.SAT GmbH. The Silent Air Taxi is intended as a low-cost way to relieve the traditional main modes of transport that slashes individual travel times.

2019MTU Maintenance Canada gets relocation underway

The Canadian subsidiary is shifting its headquarters to an industrial park near Vancouver to create more capacity. To this end, it is moving into a building in the immediate vicinity of the airport that was purpose-built as a maintenance facility for helicopters and helicopter engines. Having previously conducted its repair activities across three different sites at Vancouver Airport, this relocation will enable MTU Maintenance Canada to consolidate all its activities at this one location.

2019MTU Aero Engines AG joins the DAX

MTU Aero Engines AG joins the DAX, Germany’s leading share index, with effect from September 23, 2019. After 14 successful years in the MDAX, the company now ranks among the 30 most important listed companies in Germany. MTU Aero Engines AG has been listed in the Prime Standard of the German Stock Exchange since June 6, 2005, and in the MDAX since September 19, 2005.

2019MTU Maintenance opens new office in Singapore

MTU Maintenance is now represented in the heart of the aviation leasing hub in Singapore, with a new company office located in the Central Business District. Its opening is a logical step in MTU’s growth strategy, bringing the company into close proximity with the aviation and leasing industry in Asia. By 2029, around 40 percent (2019: 23 percent) of the global aircraft fleet will be in service in the Asia-Pacific region—and a significant proportion of those aircraft will be under leasing arrangements.

2019MTU opens new high-tech test center

MTU opens a new high-tech test center for engine parts at its Munich site. In the new component testing center, the company tests components that make up compressors and turbines, including airfoils, disks, casings, rings and tubing. The heart of the 25-million-euro investment is a multifunctional rotational test bed. Because safety is the top priority in aviation, MTU must furnish proof that its products meet the highest safety standards—right down to the detail part level.

2019MTU Maintenance celebrates its 40th anniversary.

“This anniversary is a historic event for MTU Maintenance,” said Reiner Winkler, CEO of MTU Aero Engines AG, during the official ceremony at MTU Maintenance Hannover. In the early 1980s, MTU Maintenance supported only a single engine type; today, it has the world’s largest portfolio, offering services for some 30 commercial engine models. The companies in MTU’s MRO network currently handle over 1,100 shop visits per year.

2020MTU Maintenance opens new representative offices in Dublin and Dubai.

Having already opened an office in Singapore the previous year, MTU Maintenance now has representative offices in Dublin and Dubai. While Dublin is the global center for aircraft leasing, MTU Maintenance now supports more than 20 customers in the region around the Arabian Peninsula. The aim is to be in close proximity to maintenance customers and lessees in the regions in order to provide them with even better and faster support.

2020MTU Maintenance Hannover breaks ground for a new office building

The company breaks ground for a new office building at the MTU Maintenance site in Hannover-Langenhagen. Covering an area of 71.1 meters by 18.7 meters, the new offices will accommodate 280 employees. The building sets a representative structural example for the location that points to state-of-the-art working environments and offers the highest levels of flexibility and technical equipment. This new building is necessary because the Hannover site has been working at the limits of its capacity for some time. Only last year, the site laid the foundation stone for a new factory and logistics facility.

2020The coronavirus pandemic takes hold

The coronavirus pandemic has a stranglehold on global air traffic. At the end of March, MTU responds by suspending the majority of its activities at several European locations for three weeks and is forced to withdraw its guidance for the financial year. Operations gradually restart mid-April. Comprehensive measures are introduced to protect the health of employees. Efforts to minimize the impact of the pandemic continue. Liquidity reserves are expanded, and in July the company rolls out plans to adjust capacity by 10 to 15 percent by the end of 2021.

2020Kick-off for the fuel cell

Commercial aviation is committed to emissions-free flight. To this end, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and MTU are collaborating to develop and validate a fuel-cell powertrain. At the beginning of August, the partners sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop a hydrogen-powered fuel cell with an electrical, single-sided propeller engine. A Do228 serves as the flight demonstrator.

2020Training begins for 63 new MTU employees

Even in difficult times, MTU must attract qualified young talent. On September 1, despite the ongoing pandemic, 63 young men and women begin their training or dual work-study program, for which MTU collaborates with Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University and Munich University of Applied Sciences. MTU's annual open day showcasing what the company will offer in the coming training year is held as a virtual event for the first time. The live stream is aimed at students, teachers and parents interested in looking behind the scenes of training at MTU and familiarizing themselves with the company.

2020A hydrogen-powered future

MTU makes a clear commitment to the extensive use of hydrogen in aviation. The company’s engine experts sketch out three potential uses cases: When converted into alternative drop-in sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs), hydrogen could be used to power existing aircraft and engines. Provided adjustments are made to gas turbines, developers also foresee direct combustion as a viable option. This would hinge on ensuring that liquid hydrogen is transported in suitable tanks. In the long term, MTU is setting its sights on the third potential application of hydrogen: converting it into electrical energy via a fuel cell.

2020Expansion in Zhuhai completed

Back in 2012, the first expansion at MTU Maintenance Zhuhai increased the facility’s annual capacity from 200 to 300 shop visits. Towards the end of 2020, the joint venture between MTU Aero Engines and China Southern Airlines Company Limited completes the next expansion. This means that in the future the site will be equipped to handle 450 shop visits a year. As market demand increases again following the Covid-19 crisis, the company starts gradually to ramp the shop back up to its full capacity.