Lufthansa Technik and Rolls-Royce are expanding their engine maintenance facility

A test bench from the N3 Engine Overhaul Services joint venture between Lufthansa Technik and Rolls-Royce.

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Lufthansa Technik and Rolls-Royce are investing 150 million euros in the expansion of their joint venture N3 Engine Overhaul Services in Arnstadt. The capacity of the factory should increase to 250 engines per year.

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mm, DPA

February 23, 2024, 2:57 pm

Lufthansa Technik and Rolls-Royce are facing increasing demand for aircraft engine maintenance. They are significantly expanding their joint venture N3 Engine Overhaul Services near Arnstadt in Thuringia and investing around 150 million euros. This was announced on Friday at the official start of construction of the site extension.

The capacity of the plant should increase in the long term to 250 engines per year. Last year, 132 aircraft engines were overhauled, the plant’s management said. This year, despite the ongoing construction work in the factory area, that number is expected to increase to 50 percent.

From 950 to 1200 jobs

By the end of the year, the number of employees is expected to increase from 950 to 1,100 employees. In the second stage, 1,200 jobs would be targeted. You maintain engines from over 50 international airlines on behalf of Rolls-Royce. According to its own description, N3 has its own qualification program for career changers and has been providing training for years.

Within two years, new factory sites will be created, existing buildings will be expanded and machinery and systems will be purchased. Construction of the new equipment building will begin in the summer. N3 is a key European location in Rolls-Royce’s global aircraft engine maintenance network. The company justified the increased demand for intercontinental flights. The maintenance business picked up again very quickly in 2022 after the Corona years.

When the company was built between 2005 and 2007, expansion was considered and the areas on the twelve hectares were planned accordingly, explained Carsten Behrens, managing director of N3. He explained the parent company’s decision to further develop the joint venture in the long term as appreciating the team’s expertise in maintaining Rolls-Royce Trent engines.

Since the start in 2007 in the large industrial area of Thuringia, “Erfurter Kreuz”, a total of more than 1,400 engines have been modified in the N3.