Panasonic Avionics has unveiled the significant expansion of its European MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) facility in Dundalk, Co Louth. The MRO centre, which first opened in October 2019, has been expanded in size by 500%, taking it from 6,000 sq ft to 23,000 sq ft. At the same time, the company has tripled the workforce at the site.
The Dundalk facility is operated by Panasonic Technical Services (PTS), a division of Panasonic Avionics. It provides repairs, line maintenance, spares parts supply, and technical services and training to customers in the EMEA region and is Part 145, TCAA, FAA and UK CAA approved.
PTS expects to induct 1,500-2,000 units per month at its Dundalk facility. It will repair the X series and Next IFE systems, and Boeing CSS equipment, as well as being its European distribution centre.
'Tailored maintenance solutions'
Tom Eskola, vice president and general manager of Panasonic Technical Services, said: “The expansion of our Dundalk facility will enable our customers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa to benefit from the tailored maintenance solutions which we provide at the high level they have come to expect from Panasonic Technical Services.
“Our primary objective is to offer customised maintenance solutions, delivering greater peace of mind to our customers by ensuring guaranteed performance and cost.”
Eskola confirms the demand for maintenance services within the industry adding, “As the aviation industry returns towards pre-pandemic levels, MRO slots are, once again, at a premium.”
Panasonic Avionics’ investment in the Dundalk facility has been supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland.
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise Trade & Employment Leo Varadkar TD said: “In a significant move for Dundalk and Louth, Panasonic Avionics has tripled its workforce following a major expansion.
"A pioneer in aircraft communication systems, Panasonic Avionics IFE and satellite Wi-Fi systems are used on thousands of aircraft across the world. The Dundalk facility will provide repair, maintenance and spare parts to Panasonic’s customers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
"Ireland’s status at the heart of Europe, along with our strong talent base, continues to attract global manufacturing and engineering companies to our shores. I wish all the team the best with this expansion.”
The expanded Dundalk facility is one of 10 PTS locations within Europe. In addition to the Ireland-based repair shop, there are also airport line maintenance stations at Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Lisbon, London Gatwick, London Heathrow, Madrid, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Paris Orly, and Rome Fiumicino.