Sanad, part of Mubadala Investment Company, has announced the establishment of an AED480 million ($130 million) aircraft engine Repair Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Al Ain Region, a strategic investment designed to capture the next phase of global engine MRO growth and accelerate Sanad’s trajectory towards becoming the fifth largest engine MRO provider in the world.
Announced at Make it in the Emirates 2026, the greenfield facility reflects a clear next step in Sanad’s evolution, scaling its capabilities in line with growing global demand and strengthening its position with cutting edge repair capabilities to bolster its overall service offering to regional and global operators.
Sanad’s growth is being driven by sustained demand and deepening global partnerships. The company now serves over 80 customers worldwide and, in 2025 alone, the company added 24 airline customers while expanding capabilities across both mature and next-generation engine platforms. Engine volumes are expected to more than double over the next decade, increasing from 230 inductions in 2025 to over 500 annually by 2035.
This expansion comes as the MRO market undergoes a structural shift. As fleets grow and newer engine technologies enter service, repairs are emerging as the critical driver of turnaround times, cost, and operational performance. As advanced repair capabilities at scale emerge as a defining competitive advantage, Sanad’s Repair Centre of Excellence stands as a strategic response, underpinning its long-term expansion plans and capability development.
Sanad’s existing repair operations already reflect this scale. In 2025, the company inspected more than 43,000 parts and repaired over 19,000 components, supporting 230 engines across five engine platforms. The new facility is expected to significantly expand these capabilities, with projected volumes reaching 65,000 parts repaired annually once fully operational.
By 2030, the approximately 17,600sqm facility will consolidate these repair capabilities within a single, integrated platform, spanning all major engine platforms, including Trent 700, V2500, LEAP, GEnx, and GTF.
Designed as a new, purpose-built facility, it will enable more efficient and streamlined operations from the outset. By bringing key repair capabilities in-house, Sanad will improve turnaround times, expand capacity, and better support its continued growth.
The Repair CoE will also position Sanad to capture greater value within the MRO supply chain while creating new revenue streams by serving both airline customers and other MRO providers requiring specialised repair capabilities. Upon completion, it will establish Sanad as the only independent MRO in the MENA region with such repair capabilities and at this scale, reinforcing its competitive position regionally and globally.
The development in Al Ain Region reflects a broader strategy to expand Abu Dhabi’s industrial footprint through purpose-built infrastructure. It will contribute to the growth of a dedicated aerospace ecosystem, supporting the emirate’s ambition to strengthen its position as a global aviation hub.
The initiative is expected to generate more than 350 jobs, with a strong focus on Emirati talent, and aligns with the UAE’s broader economic diversification objectives, supporting the localisation of high-value capabilities and deeper integration into global value chains.
Mansoor Janahi, Managing Director and Group CEO of Sanad, said: “Repairs are increasingly becoming the defining factor in engine MRO. Building these capabilities in-house is critical to how we scale, improve turnaround times, create in-country value, and deliver greater value to our customers. The Repair Centre of Excellence represents a decisive step in strengthening our global competitiveness and advancing our ambition to become a leading MRO provider worldwide.”
As global demand for engine maintenance continues to accelerate, advanced repair capabilities will define the next generation of MRO leaders. With this investment, Sanad is positioning itself to scale ahead of demand and play a leading role in the future of the global engine MRO industry.
