TAM MRO, TAM Airlines’ maintenance, repair and overhaul centre, intends to grow on average by 20% a year until 2016. To achieve this goal, the business unit wants to increase the revenue with services rendered to external clients, improve processes and systems, and search for strategic partners in line with its business plan.

The command of the mission is under the responsibility of Luiz Gustavo Silva, appointed executive director of TAM MRO last August. With his arrival, the unit has started to respond directly to the TAM S/A holding, headed by Marco Antonio Bologna.

“We are committed to expand our structure and capacity and encourage our growth as an independent business unit from TAM. Nowadays, the maintenance services to third parties accounts for 15% of the total revenue. We hope that this share exceeds 40% by 2016”, explains Luiz Gustavo Silva.

Responsible for the maintenance of TAM Airlines’ fleet, TAM MRO has since 2008 also supplied services to external clients. With its headquarters located at TAM’s Technological Centre in Sao Carlos (in the countryside close to Sao Paulo), the unit also operates line maintenance stations at several Brazilian airports.

From January to August 2011, TAM MRO carried out 80 checks and around 76,000 repairs of components in 20 different workshops. In the same period, the service to third parties, in number of checks carried out, has already grown by 240% in comparison to the same period of 2010.

The aircraft repair and preventive maintenance sector is worth almost US$ 2 billion a year in Latin America. In view of the sector’s growth perspective, the unit is also preparing to ensure a sufficient structure to meet the demand increase. Next year, therefore, projects will be launched to extend its productive capacity. The highlight is the construction in Sao Carlos of new high-productivity hangars and workshops.

In September, TAM MRO launched a new 2,450 square meter hangar, with the capacity to serve narrow body aircraft (airplane for domestic flights, with a single corridor). Since its inauguration 10 years ago, the business unit has already received more than R$ 200 million in investments.

Other initiatives will also be launched to ensure sufficient qualified labour for maintenance services. A few weeks ago, TAM and Senai-SP (National Service of Industrial Learning) signed a protocol of intention to re-open the Aircraft Maintenance Technical Course in Sao Carlos. As a free course, it will take in 64 students in 2012. TAM MRO will provide the material for the practical classes and open internship positions to participants, with the priority for hiring.