French Industrial Group Satys has acquired Norwich, UK-headquartered aircraft repainting company Air Livery from India's Air Works. The Indian MRO's French aircraft finishing subsidiary Aero Technique Espace is unaffected by the deal.

In business for more than 25 years, Air Livery operates eight hangars at five UK sites in Norwich, Manchester, East Midlands, Cambridge and Southend, as well as in Bratislava, Slovakia. The company paints at least 200 long and short hauI aircraft as well as corporate jets each year. It forecasts a turnover of GBP 17 million for 2018/19 and has 170 employees.

This acquisition will enable Satys to consolidate its aftermarket repainting activity and complement its current network at Paris Le Bourget, Lelystad, Casablanca, Haikou in China and Dubai, which is scheduled to open at the end of 2019. Operations will be supplemented with a long range hangar in Europe in 2019.

The move offers fresh opportunities, as Air Livery has expertise in support and engineering (Part 145), graphics, external markings and sticker production.

Air Works CEO D Anand Bhaskar says: “We will continue to focus, to grow our relationship and support to OEMs and lessors across the globe. With India emerging as one of the fastest growing aviation markets globally, the divestment is in sync with our decision to focus more on Indian operations and strengthen our market leadership here. Air Works believes that Satys has synergies and scale in aircraft painting that can further develop and nurture UK-based business.”

Air Works is an Indian headquartered global aviation services provider, with a strong Indian presence in commercial and private aircraft MRO services. It has operations in France, Dubai, Ireland and the US in aircraft finishing, aircraft management services, technical asset management services for lessors and safety rating in private jet and drone services.