Air France Industries KLM Engineering and Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M) and Beijing General Aviation Co Ltd (BGAC) held an opening ceremony on 27th February to celebrate the creation of AFI KLM E&M-BGAC Line Maintenance Co. Ltd.

A specialist in implementing general aviation manufacturing and operation businesses, BGAC sees the JV as a way to expand its activities in the MRO sector. BGAC, a subsidiary of Beijing Automotive Group Co., Ltd (BAIC), says it aims to become a leading aircraft line maintenance player on the Chinese market.

The joint venture is scheduled to begin operations on 1st April. The new business’ brand name is Beijing Line Maintenance International, and it will provide line maintenance services for aircraft in the Air France-KLM fleet at the Beijing airport, before extending its service offering to customer airlines operating in China.

This latest partnership is in line with the AFI KLM E&M’s strategy of consolidating its global line maintenance network, working with local players. In October 2015, for example, the Group announced that it had signed an agreement with SHS Technics, a Dakar (Senegal) line maintenance company, under which it acquired an equity interest.