Lufthansa breaks ground on largest PH investment yet

MANILA, Philippines — Aircraft maintenance giant Lufthansa Technik Philippines will begin constructing a new maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility in Clark, its largest investment in the Philippines to date.The project will rise on a 157,000-square-meter site at Clark International Airport, drawing hundreds of millions of dollars and creating up to 1,200 skilled jobs.

READ: Lufthansa Technik sees growing demand for MRO

Lufthansa President and CEO Holger Beck said the Clark project, which broke ground yesterday, will surpass the company’s long-running facility at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in terms of investment.

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The first phase will initially accommodate three wide-body aircraft, including two A380s. A second phase—about twice the size—will follow after operations begin in 2028, raising total capacity to nine.

By comparison, Lufthansa’s Naia facility currently has seven aircraft bays.

Clark’s runway edge

Meanwhile, Beck said Clark stands out for its long runway, logistics network and access to Subic port, enabling efficient movement of large aircraft components.

“We truly believe this is the place to be here in the Philippines for the MRO industry,” he said. “Clark has a distinct advantage because it’s a logistics hub already.”

Equally important, Beck said, is access to a skilled workforce. Lufthansa said the new MRO hub will generate about 1,200 jobs, with around 500 in place by 2028.

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“You can build a nice building everywhere in the world. But if you don’t have the qualified, motivated staff nearby… the investment has no value,” Beck said. “It’s all about the people.”

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“This is also what we see here in Pampanga, in Clark, we believe it’s a growing area, and we will be an attractive employer,” he added.

Moreover, Beck said the Clark facility will complement and not replace its Naia operations of more than 25 years.

The new facility will service wide-body aircraft, including the A350 and B787, expanding its portfolio beyond the A330, A340, A380 and B777.

Lufthansa Technik Philippines is a joint venture between MacroAsia Corp., led by Lucio Tan, and Germany-based Lufthansa Technik AG.