China Aircraft Leasing Group Holdings Limited (CALC), which describes itself as the largest independent aircraft operating lessor in China, has opened a new office in Toulouse. Located at Cap Constellation in Blagnac, the new office offers easy access to Airbus facilities for CALC’s aircraft deliveries and inspections. CALC has placed orders for more than 180 A320s, 38 of which have been delivered to date.

Jens Dunker, CALC’s Senior Vice President - Aircraft Trading and Global Marketing, declared that the new office would ensure better service for airline customers, as well as supporting CALC’s globalisation strategy. He noted that the location would allow CALC’s global workforce to connect closer with aviation partners in the aerospace cluster around Toulouse.

Last year, CALC, which is headquartered in Hong Kong, set up an office in Dublin — a global hub for aviation lease and financing — reinforcing its team with experienced professionals from the aviation industry in the areas of banking and finance, law, sales and marketing, and technical support.

To date, CALC says it has completed 67 aircraft deliveries to its airline customers and is on schedule to expand to 172 aircraft by 2022. The group is currently stepping up its efforts globalise its lessee profile. It completed the delivery of five aircraft to its first non-Chinese customer Air India in 2015, and has entered into lease agreements with Pegasus, its first European client, for the lease of two A320 aircraft, and with Vietnam’s Jetstar Pacific Airlines for the lease of four aircraft to be delivered this year.