MTU Maintenance Expands Gas Turbine MRO Facility in Germany

MTU Maintenance is constructing a new maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) production section at its Berlin-Brandenburg location, supporting a 30% increase in shop visit volumes in the coming years. The German location services GE Aerospace’s LM-series aeroderivative industrial gas turbines (IGT), specifically the LM2500, LM5000, and LM6000 models. This expansion aims to improve workscope customization, satisfy customer requirements, and meet growing market demand.

“The demand for IGT maintenance is there, so I am quite confident we will achieve our goal of 30% more engines coming through our doors,” said Henrik Harksen, Director of Sales for IGTs, MTU Aero Engines. “This is why we have boosted our sales force and presence in local market segments across the globe.”

The new addition is slated to commence operations in January 2027 after completion.

New production hall under construction in Germany; image credit: MTU Aero Engines

Facility Upgrades

In 2024, MTU Maintenance Berlin-Brandenburg purchased an existing structure next to its facility, which is now being demolished to accommodate a 113,000-square-foot MRO and business development expansion. The new production hall will house:

• 40 additional aeroderivative engine experts
• IGT field-service shop
• Modern apprentice workshop

The shop hosts an engine dock for rapid maintenance and turn arounds, and the apprentice workshop falls under a new training center to train and qualify mechanics. MTU Power’s expansion is designed to strengthen its independent LM-series MRO services.

“The aeroderivatives program is a crucial part of the success of MTU Maintenance Berlin-Brandenburg,” said André Sinanian, Managing Director and Senior VP of MTU Maintenance Berlin-Brandenburg. “The new maintenance facility is the continuation of a plan to modernize and expand the location, and to set it up for the coming decades.”

About Berlin-Brandenburg

The location offers customized MRO solutions for additional regional aircraft engines, such as the CF34-8, CF34-10E, CFM56-7B, as well as Pratt & Whitney Canada’s PW200, PW300, and PW500. In 2024, MTU upgraded a test cell with advanced testing equipment and software to meet its CFM56-7B ramp-up operations. Over the last 30 years since LM-based MRO activities began, the site has completed over 1,500 shop visits.

More MTU News

In April 2024, MTU Power signed a five-year contract extension with Equinor ASA for MRO work on its LM-series industrial gas turbines. MTU Power will service Equinor’s fleet of GE Vernova Gas Power LM2500 and LM6000 industrial gas turbines until 2028. The MRO contract was initially signed in 2015 and, in addition to turbine servicing, it also entails offshore field service support, piece part repairs, and in-country level 2 maintenance, including module swaps and smaller work scopes.

Also in April, MTU Maintenance Berlin-Brandenburg completed an audit by Luftfahrtbundesamt, the German aviation authority, for the next steps in obtaining its CFM56-7B test capabilities. And MTU Maintenance Dallas received approval, from the Federal Aviation Authority, to test the engine model after a successful correlation of its test cell.

The test cell approval (for its location south of the German capital) completes its CFM56-7B portfolio expansion so that the Berlin-Brandenburg location can conduct the full range of MRO workscopes on the engine model, including testing, at one site. MTU Maintenance also announced its plans to expand its global ON-SITE^ᴾˡᵘˢ service activities. The company is integrating its on-site services by creating a central unit that will oversee and steer the global network of MRO response teams.