ST Engineering, SF Airlines open new MRO facility in Ezhou, China
The Ezhou facility will initially feature two hangars. As market demand grows, the facility may be subsequently expanded with four additional hangars.
ST Engineering’s Commercial Aerospace division and SF Airlines have officially inaugurated a new airframe maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility in Ezhou, Hubei, China. The facility was developed through their joint venture, ST Engineering Aerospace (Hubei) Aviation Services, established in 2023. Since its formation, the venture has been focused on planning and designing to provide high-quality airframe MRO services for SF Airlines as well as international third-party customers, according to an official release from ST Engineering.
The Ezhou facility will initially feature two hangars. As market demand grows, the facility may be subsequently expanded with four additional hangars. The first hangar will induct its inaugural aircraft on 12 August 2025, while the second hangar is slated for completion in 2H2027. Together, the two hangars can accommodate up to four widebody or eight narrowbody aircraft simultaneously.
“With China leading in global aviation growth, Ezhou’s emergence as a logistics and aviation hub makes it a strategic location from which to serve freight and airline operators. Our new facility in Ezhou is well-positioned to meet the rising MRO needs of operators in China and across the region,” says Jeffrey Lam, President Commercial Aerospace at ST Engineering.
Strategically located at Ezhou Huahu International Airport, China’s first dedicated cargo airport with extensive domestic and international connectivity, the greenfield facility is purpose-built to deliver both line and heavy maintenance services for cargo and passenger aircraft. It will cater to the freighter MRO requirements of SF Airlines, China’s largest freighter operator by fleet size, while also meeting the growing maintenance needs of other cargo and passenger carriers operating to and from the region.
“The global aviation market continues to recover, driving strong demand for aircraft maintenance services. As Hubei province's aviation industry cluster rapidly takes shape, the establishment of the airframe MRO facility in Ezhou presents broad development prospects. With strong support from all sectors, the new facility will fully leverage industrial chain synergies to build a competitive maintenance brand. It will consistently provide professional, efficient, and reliable MRO services to customers while contributing to the high-quality development of the aviation industry,” says Lisheng, Chairman of SF Airlines.
The facility currently employs about 200 staff, and it is expected to generate up to 700 high-value jobs for the local community when both its hangars are fully operational. In addition to recruiting and training skilled technicians, the facility will incorporate smart technologies, including robotics and digital systems, to support high-efficiency operations.
