The project will be managed by Rigby Real Estate (RRE), the property division of airport owners, Rigby Group. It will see the construction of a 54,000 sq ft hangar and 15,500 sq ft workshop that will be completed by August 2020.

The deal provides KLM UK Engineering with significant additional new capacity providing high quality aircraft maintenance and repair services to customers worldwide. KLM UK Engineering employs 390 staff at Norwich and also delivers aircraft engineering apprenticeships and training through its technical training college located in the neighbouring International Aviation Academy Norwich.

Norwich Airport managing director Richard Pace said: “KLM UK Engineering is a major employer in Norwich with hundreds of skilled staff. This deal underlines its long-term commitment to the region and is another significant milestone in the airport’s strategy of creating a global aviation centre of excellence.”

Peter van der Horst, managing director at KLM UK Engineering, said: “We are delighted to have agreed this expansion project with Norwich Airport. This will enable us to provide a more efficient service to our customers, allow us to maintain the larger next generation aircraft and provide extra capacity with a sixth bay. Our team in Norwich are excited with this development and look forward to revealing the new hangar in 2020.”

KLM UK Engineering is headquartered at Norwich where it has operated for more than 40 years. It currently has five fully equipped heavy maintenance bays across three hangars at the airport and has extensive experience on many aircraft types including Embraer170/190, Boeing 737 (all series), Airbus A320 family, BAe 146 and Avro RJ, and Fokker 70/100 types.

The build of a new hangar for KLM UK Engineering at the airport gives Satys Air Livery UK Ltd the opportunity to take on the hangar vacated by KLM UK Engineering. This will consolidate Norwich as the head office of Aftermarket and VIP Painting Division of the Satys Group and the largest place in Europe for repainting narrow body aircrafts (4 hangars).

Thierry Melet, managing director of Satys Air Livery UK Ltd, said: “We are looking forward to consolidating our position in Norwich. The additional hangar will provide both additional capacity for growth and potential synergies to satisfy our current customers in a very competitive market.”

The Satys Group is a large, growing group with its head office in Toulouse and purchased Satys Air Livery UK Ltd (formerly Air Livery Ltd) in October 2018. The new hangar will increase the number of employees from approximately 80 to 100 in Norwich, providing local recruitment opportunities in the aircraft repainting sector.

Satys Air Livery UK Ltd purchased Sprayavia in November 2008 and have been operating at Norwich Airport ever since.

Norwich Airport is part of Regional & City Airports (RCA), the airports management division of Rigby Group, which also owns and operates Exeter Airport and Bournemouth Airport.