AFI KLM E&M sets up China joint venture with Beijing General Aviation

AFI KLM E&M and Beijing General Aviation (BGAC) held an opening ceremony to celebrate the creation of AFI KLM E&M-BGAC Line Maintenance, an aircraft maintenance joint venture which is benefitting from the new open policy of Chinese government to welcome and promote foreign initiatives to partner with Chinese companies. A specialist in implementing general aviation manufacturing and operation businesses, BGAC has teamed up with AFI KLM E&M to develop its MRO business arm. The joint venture set up by the two partners is scheduled to begin operations on April 1. The new business’ brand name is Beijing Line Maintenance International, and it will provide line maintenance services for aircraft in the AIR FRANCE KLM fleet at the Beijing airport, before extending its service offering to customer airlines operating in China. This latest partnership is in line with the AFI KLM E&M’s strategy of consolidating its global line maintenance network, working with local players. In October 2015, for example, the Group announced that it had signed an agreement with SHS Technics, a Dakar (Senegal) line maintenance company, under which it acquired an equity interest.