MTU Maintenance has emerged from 2025 with strong momentum, with recorded revenues exceeding €6 billion an 18% increase year-on-year alongside growth across all major business segments. With approximately 1,500 engine shop visits completed across its global network, including its joint venture EME Aero in Poland, MTU Maintenance has further cemented its status as the world’s second-largest engine MRO provider.
The volume mix reflects the ongoing shift towards new-generation engines, with Pratt & Whitney’s geared turbofan (GTF) family accounting for roughly one-third of total shop visits. Legacy platforms such as the V2500 and CFM56 continue to contribute significantly, underscoring the dual challenge faced by engine MRO providers: managing mature engine fleets while scaling capabilities for technologically advanced platforms.
Ottmar Pfänder, who assumed the role of Chief Program Officer at MTU Aero Engines in early 2026, described 2025 as a “cornerstone year” for the company’s long-term growth trajectory. He highlighted improvements in turnaround times, expansion of engine program coverage, and capacity ramp-ups as key enablers for the next phase of network development.
A central pillar of MTU Maintenance’s strategy is the expansion and reconfiguration of its global footprint to align with evolving engine technologies. In the United States, MTU Maintenance Fort Worth is undergoing a strategic transition from an on-site services hub to a full disassembly, assembly and testing (DAT) facility. The site is being positioned to support key next-generation programs, including the CFM International LEAP engine under a Premier MRO license and GE Aerospace’s GEnx platform.
The LEAP program ramp-up is already underway, with the first induction of the LEAP-1B variant scheduled for mid-2026, followed by the introduction of the LEAP-1A. This phased expansion reflects the growing maintenance demand for new narrowbody engines, which are rapidly entering their first major maintenance cycles.
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In Europe, MTU Maintenance Berlin-Brandenburg has expanded its capabilities on the Pratt & Whitney PW800 engine, transitioning from a specialised low-pressure turbine focus to full engine MRO. This development is supported by infrastructure upgrades, including the introduction of next-generation Fixed Overhaul System (FOSng) docks designed to improve ergonomics and process efficiency. Similar advanced overhaul systems are already deployed across MTU’s facilities in Hannover, Zhuhai, and at EME Aero.
Further capacity expansion is underway at the Ludwigsfelde site, where MTU is investing in a new production facility for its industrial gas turbine segment. The expansion is aimed at increasing shop-visit volumes by 30 percent in the coming years, while also integrating a dedicated training centre to address the growing demand for skilled engine maintenance professionals.
MTU’s joint venture, EME Aero developed in partnership with Lufthansa Technik continues to play a critical role in servicing the GTF engine family. The facility recently inducted its 1,000th engine and inaugurated a second test cell, with plans to scale operations to 500 shop visits annually by 2028.
In Southeast Europe, MTU Maintenance Serbia is steadily ramping up its operations as a specialised repair hub for high-value engine components. The facility is targeting approximately 470,000 annual working hours by the end of the decade, reflecting increasing demand for component-level expertise within the global MRO ecosystem.
The Asia-Pacific region remains a key growth engine for MTU. At its Zhuhai base, the company has expanded capacity through the opening of a secondary production facility in Jinwan, dedicated to Pratt & Whitney’s PW1100G-JM engine program. Once fully ramped up, the combined Zhuhai operations are expected to deliver more than 700 annual shop visits, reinforcing the site’s position as a major global hub for narrowbody engine maintenance.
Beyond core engine overhaul operations, MTU Maintenance is expanding its ancillary service portfolio to enhance responsiveness and customer support. Its ON-SITEPlus network handled over 1,000 maintenance events in 2025, highlighting the growing importance of flexible, on-wing and near-wing support solutions in minimising aircraft downtime.
Regional expansions are also underway. In South America, MTU Maintenance do Brasil has relocated to a larger facility in São Paulo to support increasing demand for on-site engine services. The introduction of LEAP capabilities across multiple locations including Hannover, Fort Worth, and Brazil reflects a coordinated effort to build global readiness for next-generation engine platforms.
Similarly, MTU Maintenance Australia has expanded its service portfolio with the addition of the CFM56-7B engine variant, complementing its regional engine support capabilities.
MTU Maintenance Lease Services has delivered a strong performance, recording 20 percent growth in 2025 and completing more than 90 transactions during the year. The division has expanded its asset portfolio to 140 engines and modules, including newer platforms such as LEAP and GEnx, while continuing to build a robust pool of used serviceable material.
To support its global operations, MTU has completed the development of a tri-continental parts supply network, with warehouses established in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. The addition of a new facility in Zhuhai, in partnership with Kuehne+Nagel, complements existing logistics hubs and enhances the company’s ability to respond rapidly to customer requirements.
MTU Maintenance’s 2025 performance underscores a broader trend within the global MRO sector: the need to simultaneously scale capacity, adopt new technologies, and diversify service offerings in response to evolving market demands.
With next-generation engines entering heavy maintenance cycles, supply chain pressures persisting, and airlines demanding faster turnaround times, the ability to deliver integrated, globally coordinated MRO solutions is becoming a key differentiator.
For MTU, the combination of network expansion, program diversification, and investment in people and infrastructure positions the company strongly for the next phase of growth—one that will be defined by scale, complexity, and the increasing strategic importance of engine MRO in the global aviation value chain.
