Gallery: Inside Lufthansa Technik Turbine Shannon's Ireland Facility

Lufthansa Technik Turbine Shannon, a subsidiary of the German MRO giant, has operated in Ireland since 1993. Located close to the Shannon Airport in the west of Ireland, the company focuses on engine component repairs, with a specific focus on high pressure and low pressure turbine vanes, shrouds and shrouds hangers.

The company's component repair focus is mostly centered on CF34-10, CFM56-2/3 and CFM56-5B/7B/7BE engine types. It also carries out manifold repairs on V2500 engines and seal segments services for Rolls-Royce Trent engines.

LTTS says its specialist skills include CNC machining, non-destructive testing, 3D measurement, welding, brazing, plasma and coating services.

Like most of the industry, LTTS has navigated supply chain uncertainties over the past two years. "The general supply chain, such as getting raw materials and parts to support our operation, is challenging just like everywhere else," Foley says. "What we were able to successfully do last year was to optimize how we manage our processes, for example, by increasing our stock levels and building buffers in our systems to protect our customer deliveries."

In an environment of raised inflation, another challenge experienced by LTTS is pressure on materials, labor costs and areas such as energy expenses at its facilities. "Our teams have done an excellent job of managing those costs and minimizing the impact on our customers," Foley says. "While it's encouraging to see inflation starting to come back down in recent months, I believe there are still some challenges ahead as the inflation is still significantly above the European Central Bank’s target of 2%."

LTTS says its repair shop is busy and has surpassed pre-pandemic levels, with revenues and headcounts at pre-pandemic levels. With that in mind, the company is targeting greater volumes of engine parts at its facility while also looking to further drive down turnaround times in its operation.

In the last quarter of this year, LTTS expects to add lower pressure turbine outer stationary air seals for CFM56-5B and -7B engines. LTTS CEO Pat Foley told Aviation Week that the MRO is considering newer engine types for future services. "The Leap 1A and 1B are strong options that we are considering as they are important engines for Lufthansa Technik. We’re certainly curious to explore how we can support that engine within our portfolio," he says.

Earlier this year, LTTS expanded in Shannon by opening a new repair center close to its main site. The facility is a center of excellence for low pressure turbine cooling, internal tubes and fuel manifold repairs related to CFM56 and V2500 engine types. At the time of its opening, around 25 jobs were created with LTTS anticipating more to come in the near future.

As of Sept. 2023, LTTS employed around 280 people at its Shannon operation, with the company recruiting predominantly from the talent pool in Ireland. Pat Foley, LTTS's CEO, told Aviation Week that its current headcount is around 15% more than it was pre-COVID with the company adding more than 100 people to its staff over the past 18 months. In addition, Lufthansa Technik employs around 70 people at its businesses in Dublin.

Foley says he isn't concerned about attracting or retaining talent at LTTS in Ireland than he would be in other locations in the world. "That’s not to say I’m not concerned. I think you always have to focus on both attracting and retaining talent," he adds. "Addressing the concerns and needs of employees while also investing in and developing them is always one of our main priorities." Foley says he is confident about adding "20 or 30 new roles" to parts of the business such as the newly opened manifold center.