STS Acquires UK-Based Engine MRO

STS Aviation Services, the repair division of STS Aviation Group, has acquired UK-based engine maintenance provider GT Engine Services.

Confirmed Tues., May 28, the acquisition will grow STS’ engine capabilities in its European operation. STS says the integration plan will start immediately.

Founded in 2010 and based at London Stansted Airport, GT Engine Services offers repair and management of several narrowbody and widebody engine types, comprised of CFM International CFM56, Leap, CF34 and CF6; IAE V2500; Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan and PW4000; and Rolls-Royce RB211 and Trent 700 engines. Among its core specialist services include engine checks, borescope inspections, module changes, top case and bottom case repairs, and storage and preservation work.

The company also has capacity to store up to 150 engines on site with space for around 20 engines in its repair workshop.

STS confirmed that GT Engine Services' previous owner and CEO, Greg Macleod, will continue to lead operations as managing director for engineering services. Macleod will report directly to Ian Bartholomew, executive vice president and managing director at STS Aviation Services Europe.

“GT Engine Services is now ideally placed with a great workforce and team to join STS and start to write the next chapter,” Macleod says.

PJ Anson, CEO of STS Aviation Group, says the acquisition of GT Engine Services demonstrates the company’s commitment to both the UK and European markets.

STS Aviation Services established its European operation in 2019 and has since built up its operation in the UK. It started with the acquisition of Cornwall-based Apple Aviation in September 2019, shortly followed by taking on Monarch Engineering’s former base maintenance hangar in Birmingham, where it conducts a mix of commercial and military MRO work.

In 2022, it took over the former base maintenance hangar of defunct airline Thomas Cook in Manchester, where it last year bolstered its offerings by adding approval for engine services. These capability ramp-ups have also recently included relocation of some of the repair capabilities from its component repair shop in Shannon, Ireland. These repairs included aircraft seats and their components, lavatory electrical parts, and galleys and component parts.