Hyderabad, 30th October : GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd., (GHIAL), has signed an agreement with the world's leading aircraft engine manufacturer, CFM International (CFM), to establish a new CFM56 maintenance training center to support its customers in the South Asian region.
This training center, which will commence operations by late January 2010, will be located in the GMR Aerospace Park, being developed in the exclusive 250 acre aviation SEZ, that forms part of the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport complex. This aviation SEZ has been recently notified by the government of India. GHIAL will build the facility and lease it to CFM.
The agreement, which cements a Memorandum of Agreement executed in January 2009, was signed here last night in the presence of the French Minister for Foreign Trade, H.E. Ms. Anne-Marie Idrac, by Mr. P. Sripathy, CEO of GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited and Mr. Paul-Andre Chevrin, CFM International Vice President for India.
Also present on the occasion were members of the visiting French Trade delegation, comprising their Members of Parliament, Mr. Nicolas Forissier, Mr. Andre Ferrand and Mr. Jerome Bonnafont, the French Ambassador to India, amongst others.
Mr. G.M.Rao, Group Chairman, GMR Group, commenting on the occasion said,
"CFM International is the world's leading aircraft engine manufacturer, and by setting up it's maintenance training center in Hyderabad, will benefit the Indian commercial aviation industry in a big way. This center will help India's airline companies considerably reduce costs and aircraft down time, and also conserve valuable foreign exchange for the country. It will also create huge employment opportunities for talented Indian youth."
About CFM International:
CFM International is a 50:50 joint company between Snecma (Safran Group) and General Electric Company. To date, more than 20,000 CFM56 engines have been delivered to more than 500 operators around the globe.
About GHIAL:
GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd.(GHIAL), is a joint venture company promoted by GMR Infrastructure Ltd., (63%); Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (11%), Airports Authority of India (13%) and Government of Andhra Pradesh (13%), with a mandate to develop the world-class Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. Spread over 5,495 acres in Shamshabad, about 25 kms from the main city of Hyderabad, the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport Complex plans to position Hyderabad as an important aviation hub in the coming years.
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For further information please contact:
CFM International:
Giulia Lecarrié (S/NA)
Head of External Communications & Media
Communications Department
Tel.: 33 (0)1 69 87 09 28
Mob: 33 (0)6 74 78 10 65
GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited:
Mr. Ram Mankekar,
Head Corporate Communications
Tel: +91 (40) 66764796; Mob: +91 9000064343
Mr. D. Anil Kumar,
Manager, Corporate Communications
Mob: +91 9989502551