How This AirAsia Engineer Built a RM574M MRO

Asia Digital Engineering (ADE), the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) arm of Capital A, aims to redefine aviation maintenance in Southeast Asia. In this episode of Open For Business, CEO Mahesh Kumar details ADE’s evolution from AirAsia’s in-house engineering team to a full-fledged third-party MRO provider. With a state-of-the-art 14-line hangar at KLIA and expansion into markets including Indonesia, Cambodia, and the Philippines—with plans to enter Thailand and the US—ADE is setting ambitious growth targets. 

Mahesh explains how ADE’s comprehensive services, from line and base maintenance to workshops and digital solutions like AEROTRADE and ELEVADE, are engineered for cost efficiency and rapid turnaround. He also highlights the company’s strategy for boosting third-party revenue through organic growth and strategic M&A, alongside investments in workforce development via training partnerships.
 

Whether you’re in aviation or interested in disruptive business models, this conversation offers insights into navigating a capital-intensive industry and driving sustainable growth in a competitive global landscape.

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