Regional Round-Up
KAL aims for aerospace top spot
December 1st 2012
Korean Air (KAL) launched its ambitious “Aerospace Vision 2020” plan last month with the goal of becoming Asia’s top aerospace company. Read More »
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| Korean Air: Big ambitions for its aerospace division |
Central to the target is the expansion of its aerospace business division (Tech Centre) in Busan, South Korea. KAL signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the city last month to build a second Tech Centre near Gimhae International Airport.
KAL hopes to transform aerospace into Busan’s core industry, developing technology intensive small businesses in the city. Busan itself is planning to attract about 50 enterprises to what it calls its “cooperation community area”.
As part of the Aerospace Vision 2020, KAL will focus on cutting-edge technologies. It aims to participate in the international joint development of civil aircraft, to become the number one maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) supplier in Asia and to position itself as the region’s biggest exporter of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
A statement from the company said KAL’s operating revenue would increase from 600 billion won (US$553 million) in 2012 to more than three trillion come 2020, by expanding the Tech Centre and increasing its support of partner companies.
The centre will be expanded from 710,000 sq. metres to 940,000 sq. metres. It will include state-of-the-art facilities, including an aircraft assembly plant, a composites manufacturing plant, an MRO centre, which will provide services for aircraft such as the A380 and B787, a centre for the international joint development of aircraft and an automatic logistics centre.
The composites plant will produce wings for B737s and structures for B787s and A320s as well as UAVs.
