Kuehne+Nagel Expands Partnership with MTU Maintenance Lease Services Through New Fulfilment Centre in China
Kuehne+Nagel, one of the world’s leading logistics companies, has announced an important expansion of its collaboration with MTU Maintenance Lease Services (MLS) through the opening of a new fulfilment centre in Zhuhai, China. This strategically positioned facility has been developed to enhance the coordination and supply of aero engine parts in one of the most dynamic aviation markets in the world.
The move represents a significant milestone for both companies, reinforcing their long-standing partnership and strengthening the logistics backbone that supports MLS’ growing global operations. For MLS, a company specialising in the leasing and asset management of commercial aero engines, the new centre is a crucial addition to its logistics network. For Kuehne+Nagel, it is another demonstration of the company’s dedication to the aerospace industry, ensuring that time-critical operations are backed by world-class logistics solutions.
MLS: A Specialist in Engine Leasing and Asset Management
MTU Maintenance Lease Services (MLS) is a wholly owned subsidiary of MTU Aero Engines, one of the world’s most respected aerospace companies. Based in Germany, MTU Aero Engines is a high-tech leader in the development, manufacturing, and maintenance of aircraft engines and components. MLS, as part of this ecosystem, plays a specialised role: it focuses on short- and medium-term leasing solutions, asset management, and tailored services to airlines, lessors, and operators worldwide.
Engine leasing is a critical part of modern aviation. Airlines often need replacement engines quickly to avoid aircraft-on-ground (AOG) situations, which can result in significant operational and financial disruption. By providing flexible leasing and support, MLS helps airlines keep fleets operational and minimises downtime. To enable such responsiveness, however, MLS relies on fast and dependable access to spare parts and engines—a need that makes logistics a decisive factor in its success.
Why Zhuhai and the Greater Bay Area?
The new fulfilment centre has been established in Zhuhai, a city located in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). This region is a rapidly developing aviation hub and home to one of China’s most important aerospace clusters. The location offers strategic advantages in terms of connectivity, access to regional markets, and proximity to major airports and aviation companies.
China, as one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing aviation markets, represents enormous opportunities and challenges for both airlines and service providers. Demand for air travel in China and across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region has been steadily rising, creating strong demand for reliable supply chains that can support maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) activities. By positioning the new facility in Zhuhai, MLS and Kuehne+Nagel are ensuring that customers in China and the wider APAC region have quick and seamless access to critical aero engine parts.
The centre also complements MLS’ existing fulfilment hubs in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and Miami, USA. Together, these three hubs create a globally integrated logistics network that allows MLS to cover key aviation markets in Europe, North America, and Asia. This triangular system ensures that no matter where an airline operates, support is available within hours rather than days.
Kuehne+Nagel’s Role: Speed, Compliance, and Reliability
The Zhuhai fulfilment centre is operated by Kuehne+Nagel, which brings its extensive expertise in aerospace logistics to the partnership. Known for its global network and innovative logistics solutions, Kuehne+Nagel has tailored the facility to meet the demanding requirements of the aviation industry.
The centre has been designed with bonded storage capabilities, which allows for secure handling and storage of high-value parts. Importantly, it is equipped to provide same-day or 24-hour dispatch services, ensuring that urgent orders are fulfilled without delay. The facility operates 365 days a year, meaning that airlines and operators can depend on uninterrupted support, even in emergency situations.
A core feature of the service is its ability to support line-replaceable units (LRUs)—the modular components of an aircraft that can be replaced quickly to restore functionality. In situations where an aircraft is grounded, the ability to provide LRUs rapidly is essential to reducing downtime and avoiding costly disruptions. By combining bonded storage, rapid dispatch, and around-the-clock operations, the Zhuhai facility is set to become a cornerstone of MLS’ ability to respond to time-critical events such as AOG cases.
Voices from the Partnership
Both Kuehne+Nagel and MLS emphasise the strategic importance of the new facility.
“MLS operates in a highly dynamic and time-sensitive environment, and we are proud to provide the logistics expertise that supports their global operations and responsiveness,” said Damian Raczynski, Head of Contract Logistics, Kuehne+Nagel Asia Pacific. His remarks underline how Kuehne+Nagel views the aerospace sector as one where logistics plays a mission-critical role, not simply as a support function but as an enabler of operational efficiency.
Patrick Biebel, Managing Director of MLS, also highlighted the broader implications of the new hub: “With fulfilment centres strategically located around the globe, we are uniquely positioned to respond swiftly to customer needs, no matter where they are. The Zhuhai facility exemplifies our commitment to providing rapid and reliable access to essential engine parts, which minimises operational downtime and ensures efficient support for our customers within China and the APAC region.”
Both executives point to the same conclusion: the Zhuhai fulfilment centre is more than a logistics hub—it is a strategic asset that will help airlines remain resilient in a highly competitive market.
Strengthening Global Aerospace Logistics
The collaboration also reflects Kuehne+Nagel’s ongoing commitment to the aerospace industry. Over the years, the company has built a strong portfolio of services for aerospace customers, ranging from warehousing and distribution to specialised supply chain solutions for aircraft manufacturers, MRO providers, and airlines. By leveraging its global network, Kuehne+Nagel is able to combine international reach with local execution—a combination that is particularly valuable in a region as complex as Asia-Pacific.
The aerospace industry requires logistics partners who can meet stringent standards of compliance, security, and reliability. Aircraft parts are highly regulated, high-value items that cannot be handled like ordinary cargo. Any delay or error in logistics can result in grounded aircraft and financial losses. In this context, Kuehne+Nagel’s ability to provide scalable, end-to-end solutions is a critical differentiator.
The opening of the Zhuhai fulfilment centre is not just an operational step—it is a reflection of broader trends shaping the aerospace and logistics industries. As air travel demand continues to rise in China and Asia-Pacific, the need for resilient and efficient supply chains will only grow. Airlines are under pressure to minimise downtime, optimise fleet availability, and deliver reliable services to passengers. Partnerships like the one between MLS and Kuehne+Nagel are central to achieving these goals.
Moreover, the collaboration demonstrates how logistics providers and aerospace specialists can work hand in hand to create value. By combining Kuehne+Nagel’s logistics expertise with MLS’ deep knowledge of engine leasing and asset management, the two companies have created a model that other industry players may look to replicate.
As Patrick Biebel noted, the ultimate objective is to serve customers better—providing them with the certainty that no matter when or where they need critical engine parts, those parts will be available quickly, reliably, and compliantly.
The establishment of the new fulfilment centre in Zhuhai represents a forward-looking investment by both Kuehne+Nagel and MLS. It strengthens their partnership, expands their global logistics footprint, and provides a powerful advantage to airlines operating in China and the broader Asia-Pacific region.
In an industry where time and reliability are everything, this facility is poised to play a pivotal role in reducing aircraft downtime and keeping fleets flying. For Kuehne+Nagel, it is another example of its commitment to the aerospace sector. For MLS, it is a continuation of its mission to provide flexible, reliable engine leasing and asset management solutions worldwide.
Together, they are building not just warehouses and fulfilment centres, but the backbone of a truly global support network that ensures aviation keeps moving, safely and efficiently.