SR Technics  today completed the 50th heavy maintenance on an aircraft at its Safi plant, redelivering the aircraft to easyJet in the presence of Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi.

The aircraft will depart Luqa today for Gatwick.

In addition to the heavy maintenance checks, the Malta team has also completed eight end-of-lease (EOL) checks for the airline, a further four are planned to be completed by the end of 2012.

"This is a proud moment for us. Less than two years ago we set up operations in Malta, with a new facility and team. Today, through this high-performing team's dedication to achieving best in class quality and reliability we have delivered all 50 aircraft on time, a huge achievement," commented André Wall, President of SR Technics.

"The team has also been able to reduce the turnaround time for heavy maintenance checks from 14 to 10 days, bringing about increased operational efficiency for each aircraft for easyJet. It is results like these that show why we chose Malta to be our Center of Excellence for narrowbody aircraft. We look forward to continuing to support easyJet's narrowbody maintenance requirements out of Malta for years to come and further developing our strong strategic partnership."

Warwick Brady, Chief Operations Officer at easyJet said: "This is a wonderful milestone that we are celebrating with SR Technics, the redelivery of the 50th aircraft is testament to the hard work and dedication of the skilled workforce at SR Technics in Malta. SR Technics is an industry leading strategic partner for a range of maintenance activities and key to delivering a reliable and efficient operation. The team at the Malta facility have succeeded in returning all 50 aircraft successfully and on time, which is a significant achievement."

Prime Minister Gonzi welcomed this landmark.

"This is a celebration for Malta for having attracted and sustained this investment by SR Technics,"Dr Gonzi said.

"The re-delivery is testimony to the fact that Malta has today established itself as an international aviation centre of repute.

"Above all, it also evidences the strong fundamentals of the Maltese economy as well as its future prospects."

Dr Gonzi said Malta should be proud of what it managed to achieve. 

"Despite the difficulties that we faced on an international level, Malta managed to transform its economy with new economic sectors, new investments and new jobs.

"And yes, we did create new jobs.  Only last week, the International Labour Organisation published its ‘Eurozone job crisis: trends and policy implications’ report and specifies that Malta is only one of five European countries where employment is now higher than in 2008.  It also adds that Malta and Germany are the only countries where unemployment rates are lower than in 2008. 

 These are results that speak for themselves and have been highlighted by a number of international agencies over the past few months.  These are results that defy the local sceptics," Dr Gonzi said. 

Our faith and trust in Maltese workers and business class haven been translated in new investment and expansions across the economy.

We have seen the consolidation of the aviation sector with a new aviation park and new international tenants that will compliment an already strong sector.  Sectors such as high-value added manufacturing and pharmaceutical manufacturing have continued to expand whilst sectors such as remote gaming and financial sectors have continued to grow rapidly creating thousands of jobs over the past four years.

Our confidence and vision for Malta are insatiable.  Government is totally committed towards the creation of more job opportunities in Malta.  While doing this, we are strongly investing in education at all levels.  We are offering our children, our youths, our workers the key to become achievers and be successful.  For this reason we are investing in facilities and laboratories at schools, in the MCAST campus, in teachers, in scholarships and in our University.  We are stepping up investment in training, so that even forty five and fifty year old workers can acquire new skills and will be able to improve their jobs.  Through the joint efforts of MCAST and ETC we are catering for this cohort and as this company attests we are achieving results.