Aviation District, the integrated aerospace ecosystem within Dubai South, has added another phase, a Suppliers Complex, to the development of its world leading ‘Aerospace Supply Chain’, offering maintenance and manufacturing solutions to meet all the practical aspects of the aviation and aerospace industries.
The Dubai South Aerospace Supply Chain is a landside free zone development of multi-purpose buildings for businesses that are a part of the global aerospace supply chain which caters specifically for small to medium size enterprises in the global MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) sector.
The development is aligned with the Dubai Industrial strategy where the government has outlined 14 strategic initiatives to develop the aerospace cluster over the next 13 years.
The Dubai South Aviation district is divided into four business verticals: General Aviation which is home to the VIP Terminal, hangars, fuel farm, catering, ground handling, and helicopter operations, Maintenance and Technical Support which includes a paint shop, the MROs and the aerospace supply chain, a Commercial Strip which has retail and hotel accommodation and an exhibition area, and an Education and Training vertical that hosts the Emirates Flight Training Academy, simulators and different universities and vocational training institutes.
Aviation District’s investment plan until 2018 of AED200 million (US$55 million) includes two aerospace supply chain buildings and one Suppliers Complex.
The Aerospace Supply Chain has successfully completed the Supply Chain Building which was launched as the inaugural project by Aviation District earlier this year. The building includes front offices and workshop spaces spread across 749 sq.m. of workshop and 149 sq.m. of office spaces per unit. The development of the second building is expected to commence in 2018.
The supply chain zone is already home to Lufthansa Technik, GE Aviation and AAI, Advance Aerospace Industry.
The Suppliers Complex is designed to allow for easy and quick start-up for aerospace companies. The G+3 complex development will offer over 12,000 sq.m. of light industrial space for companies providing support services such as fixed-based operations, maintenance, repair and overhaul, and supply of aircraft parts, chartering, freight forwarding and fleet management.
Tahnoon Saif, Vice President of Aviation at Dubai South, said, “The ‘Aerospace Supply Chain free zone at the Dubai South’s Aviation District is aligned with the vision of the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to make Dubai the aviation capital of the world. We have earmarked a budget of AED2.5 billion ($685 million) up to 2018 for the development of maintenance, general aviation, training and education sectors.
“We will continue to offer opportunities for companies to strengthen and widen their base and provide sectoral knowhow in the aviation sector. The Aerospace Supply Chain will also provide sufficient opportunities in the areas of MRO, education, manufacturing, research and development and aerospace industries.”
Will this supplier complex also serve for various other supply chain companies or is it specifically for aerospace companies?