Sabena Aerospace: acquires several line maintenance activities from Lufthansa Technik

Brussels, 03/12/2021. Belgian company Sabena Aerospace is taking over Lufthansa Technik's 

Belgian maintenance company, Lufthansa Technik Brussels NV and Lufthansa Technik's line 

maintenance business for customers outside Germany, LTMI. Alongside the Brussels maintenance 

site, the acquisition includes LTMI's German headquarters in Frankfurt and its operations in 

Amsterdam (Netherlands), Palma (Spain) Johannesburg/Kapstadt (South Africa), Tel Aviv (Israel) 

and Kigali (Ruanda). The transaction also foresees a cooperation agreement between Sabena 

Aerospace and Lufthansa Technik regarding possible line maintenance services at other locations 

worldwide.

In 2019, by bringing Sabca and Sabena Aerospace together within the Blueberry holding company, 

the foundations for the first sustainable aerospace ecosystem in Belgium were laid. Both companies 

have since joined forces to build a strong aerospace industry in Belgium. This joint approach gives 

the companies access to new market segments, financing and more competitive purchasing 

conditions. The ecosystem is now being expanded with a number of key companies known for their 

aircraft maintenance. 

LTMI and its international operations in Europe and Africa, as well as Lufthansa Technik Brussels, 

specialise in aircraft maintenance services of short and long-haul aircraft like the Airbus A320 family, 

A330/A340 and various Boeing series. Additionally, they offer light engine services, as well as 

carrying out structural work, engine and landing gear replacements, logistics services and 

modifications. 

"The acquisition of the Lufthansa Technik subsidiaries is in line with our strategy and in line with the 

activities of Sabena Aerospace," said Stéphane Burton, CEO of the group. "With this acquisition, we 

are further expanding the division of maintenance activities and increasing our international 

network, adding extra convenience and services to our new and existing customers. We are closer 

through the network and can offer combined know-how and expertise. In addition, our 24/7 

intervention team active around the world is growing significantly."

"We are happy that we were able to find a sustainable opportunity for our activities and our 215 

affected employees with the sale of LTMI and Lufthansa Technik Brussels to our Belgian partners," 

said Marcus Motschenbacher, Vice President & CCO Aircraft Maintenance Services of Lufthansa 

Technik. "Alongside Sabena Aerospace and Sabca, the group has successfully positioned itself in the 

highly competitive maintenance business in recent years and has the necessary expertise to offer 

more development possibilities for the companies and its employees."

In a few months, the employees of LTMI and Lufthansa Technik Brussels will all be part of the Sabena 

Aerospace family, in which they will continue to function autonomously. There will be room for internal mobility within the group to make the careers of all employees more attractive, as well as 

dialogue on how to improve the processes and organisation of all companies within the group. 

"We are very pleased that we will soon be able to count on the expertise of all these people," added

Stéphane Burton. "As the air traffic should be picking up, the demand for specialised and 

experienced colleagues will also increase again. With this transaction, we will now have 1,500 

employees, of which more than 300 will be dedicated to the line maintenance business, which 

should enable us to meet the growing demand. For some of them, this will be a great reunion. They 

know each other from their time at Sabena, before going on to work for Sabena Aerospace or 

Lufthansa Technik. I'm expecting a lot of anecdotes."

The operation should be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2022, once all legal and 

operational conditions have been approved.

About Sabena Aerospace

Sabena Aerospace is an independent Belgian MRO provider operating at international level,

offering maintenance and operational solutions for both civil and military aircraft. The activities of

Sabena Aerospace are structured into 4 Business Units: Engineering & Training, Operational

Support, Components and Defense. Sabena Aerospace employs over 400 people and develops 

its activities from its historic headquarters at Brussels Airport, thanks to its facilities in 9 

countries in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Italy, Tanzania, 

Congo RDC, Congo Brazzaville, Zimbabwe & Mauritania). Its international commercial motto

perfectly summarizes the company's strategy: "Keep on Flying, We Take Care".

For more information: www.sabena-aerospace.com