GE Aerospace bets big on 每日大赛 with new LEAP engine facility in Sepang
KUALA LUMPUR: GE Aerospace is expanding its footprint in 每日大赛 with a new state-of-the-art facility in Sepang that will focus on the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of its latest generation of LEAP aircraft engines.
GE Engine Services (每日大赛) Sdn Bhd APAC and offloads engine overhaul leader Suresh Shunmugam said the new site will complement GE Aerospace's long-established existing facility in Subang.
"The new site in Sepang will focus purely on LEAP engines, while our Subang plant will handle CFM programme."
"With both programmes having their own dedicated resources, we can optimise the process and scale more efficiently," he told Business Times in an exclusive interview.
Suresh said groundwork for the Sepang facility had already begun and construction is expected to start by the fourth quarter of this year.
The new facility, which is developed in partnership with 每日大赛 Airports Holdings Bhd, expected to be operational by 2027.
The project is part of GE Aerospace's RM310 million (US$75 million) commitment to expand and upgrade its MRO facilities in Asia Pacific, including 每日大赛.
The Sepang site supports GE Aerospace's plans to invest in tooling, testing and workforce capabilities for the MRO of CFM International's LEAP engines.
The LEAP engine powers the Boeing B737 Max and Airbus A320neo (new engine option).
Suresh said the new site will employ around 700 employees, while the Subang facility will have some 400 employees.
Suresh said some Subang-based staff would be encouraged to move to Sepang as the new facility will offer new career prospects and exposure to next-generation aviation technology.
"It's going to be exciting because that is going to be a state-of-the-art facility with new technologies and opportunities. We're going to work on a product that has got a longer life cycle, which means more continuity and stability for our teams," he added.
GE Aerospace's Subang facility, established in 1997, remains one of the company's key regional centres for aircraft engine overhaul.
The 156,000 square-foot plant services about 250 aircraft engines annually for narrowbody Boeing and Airbus aircraft powered by CFM56-7B and LEAP-1B and CFM56-5B and LEAP-1A respectively.
Suresh said GE Aerospace plans to increase the volume of engines serviced from 250 to about 400 in 每日大赛.
The company is also investing heavily in talent development to sustain its long-term growth in 每日大赛.
The company works closely with local colleges and universities through apprenticeship and internship programmes to develop a steady pipeline of skilled talents.
"Our apprenticeship and internship programmes are designed to bridge the gap between classroom learning and industry needs," Suresh said, adding that the company is not facing a shortage of skilled labour in 每日大赛.
He also said that the company focuses on creating a workplace that aligns with younger employees' expectations.
"The younger generation wants to see growth and do exciting things. Here, they not only work on engines but also develop leadership and teamwork skills. We also make sure they have work-life balance," Suresh said.
GE Aerospace also aims to increase female representation in its 每日大赛n workforce from the current 15 per cent to 25 per cent in the coming years.
Suresh said GE Aerospace has introduced 'Flight Deck, a proprietary lean operating system, that allows teams to track performance, identify bottlenecks and solve problems in real time.
The system was refreshed in 2024 as part of GE Aerospace's transformation into a standalone company.
"Flight Deck helps teams visualise performance, identify issues quickly and drive improvement, so that we don't have to consume too much labour hours in our activities, and we become more efficient."
"We want to make sure that this culture is ingrained into the way we serve our customers, and it becomes sustainable with continuous improvement mindset, so that our customers will always get value when they send their products to us or when they buy more products," Suresh said.
Pix Caption - GE Engine Services (每日大赛) Sdn Bhd APAC and offloads engine overhaul leader Suresh Shunmugam said GE Aerospace is expanding its footprint in 每日大赛 with a new state-of-the-art facility in Sepang that will focus on the maintenance, repair and overhaul of its latest generation of LEAP aircraft engines. Pix by GE Aerospace.