Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO): capacity expansion with specific requirements

Development of the aviation industry

As one of the industries most severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the aviation industry has been through challenging times. Driven by the recovery of passenger numbers in civil aviation and increasing demand from the military sector, the industry is now showing clear positive development trends. By 2030, global passenger numbers are expected to rise to up to 5.6 billion, by 2040 to more than 7.5 billion, and by 2050 to over 10 billion. The forecast for 2050 therefore represents an increase of approximately 120% compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019. [IATA. (2025). Weltweite Anzahl der Flugpassagiere in den Jahren 2018 bis 2024 und eine Prognose für die Jahre 2025 bis 2050 (in Millionen). Statista] 

This expectation is reflected accordingly in forecasts for the global aircraft fleet. According to Boeing estimates, more than 50,000 aircraft are expected to be in operation worldwide by 2043—an impressive figure compared to a global fleet size of around 26,000 aircraft in 2023. [Boeing. (2024). Prognostizierte Anzahl der Flugzeuge in einzelnen Weltregionen in den Jahren 2023 und 2043. Statista] 

Impact on the MRO business

As a consequence, this positive industry trend significantly increases demand for maintenance capacity. In the so-called MRO business (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul), these capacities for components, parts, required equipment and infrastructure are provided by OEMs and specialized service providers. As a secondary effect of overall industry growth, record growth rates of up to 5% per year are also expected for the MRO sector. On this basis, projected market volumes amount to USD 87.3 billion in 2025 and up to USD 142.2 billion by 2035.
[Future Market Insights. (2025). Air Transport MRO Market Trends - Growth & Forecast 2025 to 2035.]  

Engine maintenance

A core topic within the MRO sector is the maintenance of aircraft engines. When a new engine enters service, standardized maintenance intervals are defined based on operating hours, take-off and landing cycles, and technical condition in order to reliably ensure operational performance. The modular design of an engine plays a central role in enabling these standardized maintenance intervals to be executed in a structured manner. From the engine level through modules, sub-modules and components down to individual and consumable parts, predefined work steps are specified along the standardized intervals. 

Complexity driven by unpredictability

Despite all standardization, not all processes and necessary activities can be anticipated. This is a key challenge in the MRO sector. When inspecting an engine, defects or damage may be found that require work steps or materials that were not provided for in the standard process.

Making complexity manageable

Dealing with the resulting complexity is a central task for which solutions must be developed when planning new MRO shops or expanding existing ones.

Building and expanding MRO capacities

To meet the likely continued increase in demand for so-called shop events, existing sites must be expanded and optimized, and new locations must be developed. A key factor in this context is the chosen strategy for structuring the overall footprint: Which engine types are handled at which locations? How are the core functions of DAT (Disassembly, Assembly, Testing) and repair distributed?How are required capabilities, technologies and processes allocated across the network? These are just some of the strategic decision areas that subsequently have a significant influence on MRO shop planning. 

Carrying out capacity planning

Success factors for planning an MRO shop

As a result, factory planning in the MRO sector faces different challenges than in other discrete manufacturing industries. The design of the factory based on meticulously planned forecasts, parts lists, and work plans cannot be directly transferred, as activities and processes often only become apparent once the findings have been analyzed. Our project experience shows that successful MRO shops are characterized by the following characteristics:

• A clear role within the production network

• Focus within the MRO portfolio as a basis for selecting site-specific capabilities, technologies and processes

• Purpose-driven harmonization of modularity and standardization in layout design

• Robust production logistics

• Flexible planning and control logic

Within the planning process, our role is to support you in operationalizing these success factors in line with your individual strategic orientation—enabling you to operate MRO operations that can successfully respond to growing capacity requirements.

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