Ethiopian Sky Technologies, a joint venture between Geven-SkyTecno and Ethiopian Airlines, has inaugurated a manufacturing facility in Addis Ababa to produce insulation blankets for Boeing 737 MAX aircraft as part of an agreement between the JV and Boeing. Ethiopian Airlines holds a 51% stake, and SkyTecno 49%, of Ethiopian Sky Technologies, with the primary manufacturing of blankets being undertaken at the new facility at Bole Airport.
Geven-SkyTecno is contributing its experience in process technology and manufacturing to the joint venture, and is also responsible for speeding up the industrialisation, qualification and skills training processes.
Mesfin Tasew, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group said of the facility, “We are glad to unveil a modern manufacturing facility of Ethiopian Sky Technologies at our home base, Addis Ababa. As part of our vision to develop the aerospace manufacturing Industry in Ethiopia, the partnership with Geven-SkyTecno takes our capability to the next level. As we have a very well-established MRO capability with an excellent track record of providing aircraft maintenance, we can leverage this capability and experience to further develop our aerospace manufacturing capability and eventually make it one of the key strategic business units of the airline.
“We are happy that we have gone into this tri-partite relationship with Geven-SkyTecno and Boeing and that we started manufacturing and exporting the aircraft thermo-acoustic insulation blankets for the 737 MAX. We are keen to expand the scope of activities to other aerospace products to the mutual benefit of all parties”.
