The temporary suspension will first affect MTU’s manufacturing facilities in Munich, Germany, and Rzeszów, Poland, where engines are assembled or engine components manufactured. Activities will be ramped down by the end of the week in a coordinated approach. Operations are expected to be suspended for three weeks from Monday, March 30.
A week later, the company will suspend operations at its engine maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities in Hannover and Ludwigsfelde, near Berlin. By deferring this slightly, the company will be able to complete shop visits and ensure an organized start to the suspension. Operations at these facilities are expected to be reduced to an absolute minimum for three weeks, the company will remain available to its customers.
“MTU is known for reliability. These measures will be closely coordinated with our customers and partners, as is customary for the intense international cooperation within the aviation industry,” said CEO Reiner Winkler. “We have been calm, united and resolute while withstanding the first phase of this crisis. In the coming phase and during the ramping back up of facilities, we will rely on the ability and extensive experience of our employees.
Michael Schreyögg, chief program officer, MTU Aero Engines posted this statement earlier today:
“The management team is continually monitoring the situation and will introduce further measures, should this be necessary. At the same time, they will make goal-oriented decisions to minimize any economic impact and to ensure the company’s financial strength. We are currently preparing for an expected three-week interruption of operations at our German sites and also at our Polish site while we are working in China again. Not an easy step, but it is important to us to protect the workforce and limit the spread of this pandemic. The increasingly interrupted supply of materials is also making production and the MRO business more difficult. We are in constant dialogue with our partners and customers and remain available to them. This is not an easy time for our industry, so it is all the more important that we act quickly, thoughtfully and consistently. At the same time, I believe the aviation industry needs to look ahead and think about the massive re-ramp up ahead of us after the crisis. We don’t know exactly when that day will come, but in my view, the big players in the industry such as Airbus, Boeing and IATA, need to take the lead and help get the whole industry back on track after this difficult period.”