In a move that will strengthen its footprint in Asia-Pacific, FAA has granted approval for GKN Aerospace to repair CFM56 engine components at its facility in Johor, Malaysia.

The site is set to go operational in the fourth quarter of 2020 and once up and running, will focus on servicing engine low pressure compressor (LPC) components for CFM56-5B, CFM56-7 and V2500.

GKN says it expanded the Johor site to complement its existing U.S. parts repair facility in El Cajon, California.

It will also become part of GKN’s wider network of facilities and will collaborate with other sites and nearby universities to research the application of additive manufacturing technology into engine parts repair. 

As of June 2020, GKN says around 70 staff are located at Johor to support the initial phase of the business. In total, the company’s investment in the facility stands at around $30 million, accounting for both the building and the equipment and technologies accompanying it. 

“We have strongly invested in the site and we have injected the latest automated manufacturing technology,” says Fergus Lopez, site director GKN Aerospace. “The FAA certification is an important international recognition of our capability to support our customers in the Asian Pacific Region.”