Coins of the day, the day’s newspapers and a symbolic parchment signed by representatives of the government and Lufthansa Technik were placed in a brass time capsule, housed in the foundation stone for the German company’s new facility at Luqa airport yesterday.
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, Investment and IT Minister Austin Gatt, Chief Executive Product and Services of Lufthansa Technik AG Thomas Stuger, CEO Lufthansa Technik Malta Louis Giordimaina and CEO Deutsche Lufthansa AG Wolfgang Mayrhuber all took part in the ceremony.
The facility will cater for the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) for wide-body Airbus aircraft. Indeed, a few weeks ago, Lufthansa Technik signed an agreement with the government for a EUR55 million investment to set up the facility – a complex of hangars, workshops and offices which will be financed by Malta Industrial Parks Ltd and leased to the German company.
By specialising in the MRO of larger Airbus A330 and A340 aircraft, Lufthansa Technik Malta will create some 500 jobs over four to five years, complementing its existing workforce of 160 who currently work on the smaller A320s and Boeing 737s. There are an additional 60 MCAST apprentices who have also been taken on by Lufthansa Technik.
Since the start of the operation of the company in 2003, the current facility for C-Checks and modifications on Airbus and Boeing narrow-bodied aircraft has carried out over 260 C-Checks on various aircraft.
Dr Stuger said: “The new expansion is necessary to ensure sufficient resources in our worldwide network for the growing demand for wide-body maintenance over the next years. We are totally aware that our customers not only expect the best performance from us, but also flexibility and a competitive price – Lufthansa Technik Malta has always been committed to this reputation.” At this point, Dr Stuger turned towards the employees present and told all the dignitaries to join him in giving them a round of applause as the real success of the company base in Malta was owed to them and their hard work.
The new hangar will cover an area of 27,000 square metres with a 270-metre span, 90 metres depth and 34 metres height. This will allow the facility to house two wide-body and two narrow-body aircraft simultaneously. It can also house the massive Boeing 747 or the even larger Superjumbo A380.
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said that his administration had worked long and hard to create new jobs and the results were now showing. “We know that competition is ruthless, but pouncing on opportunities such as this one offered by Lufthansa Technik is the way forward,” he said.
Dr Gonzi maintained his mantra and belief that one of Malta’s major assets, if not its most important asset, was its workforce. “They are fluent in English, skilled, flexible, ready to learn, but above all else, have an excellent work ethic. This is what singles them out as some of the best,” he said.
Dr Gonzi concluded: “Change is an opportunity to renew and the time to renew is now.”
Investment Minister Austin Gatt also took the floor and said that Malta’s economy was in transition, but was heading in the right direction. “Low-end factories are shutting down and places like this are starting up. It is not a matter of blame. It is a matter of change. It is global and it is necessary, unlike some would have us believe,” he said.
He said that companies such as this, Actavis, HSBC, Playmobil, ST Microelectron-ics and others were a testament to Malta’s economic process. “Not only have they given us a vote of confidence by investing here, but as we can see, they are expanding their operations,” he said.
Archbishop Mgr Paul Cremona OP then led prayers followed by a blessing ceremony.