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ST Aerospace Spring

ST Aerospace has won a S$148 million (US$105 million) contract from China leisure carrier Spring Airlines for component maintenance-by-the-hour services.

The contract will expand the current support it provides to Spring Airlines’ fleet of 15 Airbus A320s to an expected fleet of 78 of the same type. Spring Airlines has talked about expanding its fleet into triple figures.

The deal comes hot on the heels of an S$1 billion airframe maintenance-by-the-hour (MBH) deal ST Aerospace won from India’s Jet Airways for the latter’s Boeing 737 fleet.

The new contract Spring Airlines deal will commence in April 2010 and stretch over eight years.

The contract also includes the set up of a new warehouse at Spring Airlines’ base at the Pudong International Airport in Shanghai. This is in addition to the existing warehouse at its base at the Hongqiao International Airport.

The additional warehouse will provide the fleet with easy access to component consignment services at the Pudong International Airport.

Spring Airlines’ relationship with ST Aerospace began in 2005 when it secured the MBH programme to provide component services to Spring Airlines’ fleet of 15 Airbus A320 then.

Since then, ST Aerospace has also provided airframe services (including C and D checks, seats and slides overhaul and Aircraft-On-Ground (AOG) support) to Spring’s Airbus A320 fleet through its Shanghai facility, and tapped on its aviation logistics facility in Guangzhou to provide import, export, warehousing and logistics services of components to the customer.

Wang Zhenghua, chairman of Spring Airlines, commented:“As we expand our operations, we are pleased to partner with ST Aerospace for its uncompromising attitude to safety and high quality standards. They have supported us since we began operations, and have provided maintenance and customer services that continually surpass our expectations.”

He added, “Our partnership over the last five years has given us the confidence to proceed with growth plans for our fleet and chart new international routes.”

Tay Kok Khian, president of ST Aerospace, commented, “We are pleased that Spring Airlines has awarded us this new contract to support its expanded fleet of aircraft. The award by Spring Airlines strongly demonstrates Spring Airlines’ satisfaction with the support we have provided over the last five years.”

ST Aerospace was among nine suppliers honoured by Spring Airlines in The carrier’s first supplier conference held in Shanghai with a delegation of more than 100 vendors.

ST Aerospace’s subsidiary, ST Aerospace Supplies Pte Ltd, received from Spring Airlines an Outstanding Supplier Award in the Aircraft Material Suppliers’ category.

Spring Airlines’ Outstanding Supplier Award recognises its suppliers who have worked with Spring Airlines. Recipients are selected for this award based on stringent performance criteria for quality, responsive services, quick turnaround time and value pricing.