Rolls-Royce has announced the arrival of the first Trent 1000 engine for maintenance, repair and overhaul at its Dahlewitz facility in Germany. This marks a significant step in the company's £55 million investment initiative to expand assembly, testing, and shop visit capacity across the UK and Germany, a move that will create approximately 300 jobs.
The investment, announced in March, aims to meet rising demand for Rolls-Royce's civil large engines and enhance aftermarket support for its global fleet. Rolls-Royce anticipates an annual growth of 7-9% in Rolls-Royce-powered aircraft in service through the remainder of the decade, as outlined during its 2022 Capital Markets Day.
Half of the total investment, and about one-third of the new jobs, will be focused on Dahlewitz. Initially, the facility will support Trent 1000 engines, providing additional global capacity while preparing to introduce a durability enhancement package next year. In the long term, the facility is expected to transition assembling and testing new Trent XWB-84 engines.
The durability enhancement package, already in use on the Trent 7000 engine, is part of a broader £1 billion investment in the Trent-engine fleet. This package will significantly extend engine time on-wing, more than doubling its performance. An additional package of hot-section enhancements, due in 2026, is expected to deliver a further 30% improvement.
This strategic investment underscores Rolls-Royce's commitment to advancing its capabilities and supporting its growing global fleet while driving innovation in engine performance and durability. (£1.00 = US$1.27 at time of publication).
