Lufthansa Technik Sofia invests 30 mln euro

The provider of civil aircraft maintenance and repair services Lufthansa Technik Sofia said it is investing 30 million euro ($33.7 million) in the expansion of its hangars at Sofia airport.

The project includes the construction of three additional maintenance lines and workshop areas as well as a six-level multifunctional building which allows for further growth of the central service department in the Bulgarian capital, Lufthansa Technik Sofia head of operations, Daniel Hoffmann, told a news conference in Sofia.

The investment is planned to boost the volume of the company’s operations by 60% and will lead to a 30% increase in the number of employees in Sofia to 1,300.

« The expansion works should be completed by the end of summer season 2017, because we plan using the new capacity for the winter season in the same year, » Hoffmann added.

Lufthansa Technik Sofia carried out 100 checks of airplanes last year, which took between a day and a month each.
After the expansion, the hanger will be able to accommodate big-body aircraft, Hoffman said. However, the company expects to service small-body aircraft only over the next 2-3 years.

« Lufthansa Technik operations will become the largest department outside of German territory, » Hoffmann said.
Further plans about Lufthansa Technik’s operations in Bulgaria have been discussed, he added without elaborating.