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While Boeing-watchers were left underwhelmed by President Donald Trump’s announcement of a new order from China, European manufacturers continue to strengthen their presence in the country.
The latest is Franco-German component manufacturer and aftermarket player Liebherr-Aerospace, which is expanding heat transfer equipment services at its MRO facility in Shanghai. The aim is to offer local customers a more sustainable process that will future-proof them against potential future environmental regulations.
Following validation at its Toulouse headquarters, Liebherr Aerospace has introduced a trivalent chromium system (TCS) and post-application conversion sealer (PACS) coating process for heat transfer equipment.
TCS enhances corrosion resistance as well as paint adhesion, and then PACS seals and reinforces the protective layer for long-term durability.
It is the first time Chinese airlines can access this service in-country, and while certain older chromium-based processes are similarly effective, they do not comply with the EU’s REACH regulations, which are designed to protect human health and the environment.
China’s aviation regulator has approved the process, and while Chinese law does not directly incorporate REACH stipulations, many are mirrored in its consumer guidelines.
“Ensuring compliance with evolving regulatory frameworks also prepares our customers in China for future environmental requirements,” said Eric Thévenot, Liebherr China’s general manager for customer services and MRO.
In other China news, Trump said during his state visit that Chinese airlines would order 200 unspecified Boeing aircraft.
While significant, this would be well below the 500-plus order that some had predicted.
Over the next 10 years, China is expected to take about 750 new aircraft from Airbus but only 408 from Boeing, according to Aviation Week’s Commercial Fleet & MRO Forecast 2026.
Beijing has remained silent on Trump’s recent order announcement, although the country’s airlines typically leave their orders undisclosed.
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