Transport Minister Anthony Loke and ExecuJet MRO Services Malaysia president Graeme Duckworth at the grand opening of ExecuJet's new maintenance, repair and overhaul facility at Subang on May 2. (Photos by Suhaimi Yusuf/The Edge)

SHAH ALAM (May 2): ExecuJet MRO Services Malaysia, a subsidiary of luxury business aircraft maker Dassault Aviation, inaugurated its new maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility at Subang Airport on Thursday.

The 149,500-square-foot installation is now Malaysia’s largest business aviation MRO centre, more than doubling the size of its previous facility established in 2009, bolstering Malaysia’s position in the fast-growing Asian business aviation market, said ExecuJet in a statement on Thursday.

ExecuJet president Graeme Duckworth described the opening as a "pivotal moment" for the company's regional operations.

“We are expanding support for operators of multiple aircraft brands across the region. The Subang facility is key to that strategy," he said.

The expansion is part of ExecuJet’s broader strategy to address the increasing demand in the region.

ExecuJet started in South Africa in 1991 and subsequently expanded globally with additional facilities in Australia, New Zealand, the United Arab Emirates and Belgium, and a franchise in China.

From left: ExecuJet MRO Services Malaysia president Graeme Duckworth, Dassault Aviation senior vice-president, Worldwide Falcon Customer Service and Service Center Network, Jean Kayanakis, Transport Minister Anthony Loke, ambassador of France to Malaysia Axel Cruau and ExecuJet regional vice-president Ivan Lim

The Subang site aims to invest in training its personnel to be internationally certified, for it to be approved to perform line and heavy maintenance on aircraft registered with regional civil aviation authorities together with the Federal Aviation Administration and European Union Aviation Safety Agency, whether on Falcons, Bombardier and Gulfstream aircraft.

ExecuJet regional vice-president Ivan Lim anticipates further growth in the Subang workforce from 84 to 100 by the year's end, with plans for continued expansion over the next five years.

Malaysian Investment Development Authority chief executive officer Sikh Shamsul Ibrahim Sikh Abdul Majid said ExecuJet’s expansion will enhance Malaysia's stature as an ideal location for aerospace companies aiming to expand in this region.

“We are excited to witness the positive influence this facility will have on our aerospace ecosystem and remain committed to supporting ExecuJet in their expansion journey,” he said.

Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd, meanwhile, said ExecuJet’s latest facility is among several development projects under the Subang Airport Regeneration Plan (SARP) and represents a pivotal step forward in advancing the plan's business aviation sector.

“Anchored on three key segments — aerospace, business aviation and city airport — one of the aims of SARP is to transform Subang Airport into a regional hub for business aviation,” the group said in a statement.