Sale of Sanad’s first rebuilt Trent 700 engine demonstrates integrated MRO and Asset Management capabilities and establishes a platform for broader collaboration in the fast-growing Asia-Pacific aviation market.
Singapore, 24 September 2026: Sanad, a global leader in aerospace engineering and asset management solutions wholly owned by Mubadala Investment Company PJSC (Mubadala), today announced an agreement with Asia Pacific Aviation Leasing Group (APALG), a Hong Kong-headquartered aviation asset investment and management company, for the sale of a Sanad-owned Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engine, the first engine delivered through Sanad Asset Management’s Trent 700 rebuild program. The transaction also marks Sanad Asset Management’s first deal with a customer in China and an important step in Sanad’s expansion across the fast-growing Asia-Pacific aviation market.
The agreement was signed at MRO Asia-Pacific in Singapore by Mansoor Janahi, Managing Director and Group CEO of Sanad, and Dr. Hongwei Zhao, Chairman and CEO of APALG.
The transaction represents an important milestone for Sanad’s Asset Management business, involving the sale of its first fully rebuilt Trent 700 engine. The engine was acquired and rebuilt leveraging Sanad’s MRO capabilities, demonstrating the Group’s ability to combine technical expertise with asset management to extend engine life, restore asset value and return high-demand engine capacity to the global market.
The agreement comes as Asia-Pacific continues to drive global aviation growth. Airbus forecasts aviation services demand across Asia-Pacific, including China and India, to grow at a compound annual rate of 5.2% through 2044, reaching US$138.7 billion, supported by continued expansion in air traffic and fleets. The region is expected to require 19,560 new passenger aircraft over the next 20 years, representing 46% of global demand.
This growth is creating sustained demand for engine availability, maintenance capacity and aftermarket solutions across the region. The Trent 700 remains particularly relevant to this market as the leading engine on the Airbus A330, powering around two-thirds of the global A330 fleet. Its strong position in the growing A330 passenger-to-freighter conversion market is also supporting continued demand for Trent 700 engines, maintenance and aftermarket services.
Beyond the initial engine transaction, the agreement creates a foundation for broader collaboration between Sanad and APALG across asset management, MRO services and aftermarket solutions. This potential is underpinned by Sanad’s position as the world’s largest independent Trent 700 MRO provider and a cornerstone of the global support network for the engine. A Rolls-Royce Authorized Maintenance Centre since 2013, Sanad delivers extensive Trent 700 maintenance and overhaul capabilities from its Abu Dhabi facilities, complementing APALG’s growing presence in the Asian aviation market.
Mansoor Janahi, Managing Director and Group CEO of Sanad, said: “This agreement with APALG marks an important milestone for Sanad as we expand our presence in Asia, bringing our first Trent 700 rebuilt engine to a market with strong and growing demand. It demonstrates the value of combining our Asset Management and MRO capabilities to deliver integrated engine solutions. More importantly, this transaction marks the beginning of what we see as a long-term relationship with APALG, creating opportunities to grow together and broaden our support for customers across China and the wider Asia-Pacific region.”
Dr. Hongwei Zhao, Chairman and CEO of APALG, said: “As demand for the A330 platform and Trent 700 engine continues across China and Asia-Pacific, access to high-quality, reliable engine assets remains increasingly important. Sanad’s deep technical expertise and established Trent 700 capabilities made them a natural partner for APALG. This transaction is an important first step in our relationship, and we see significant potential to expand our collaboration in support of the evolving needs of the aviation market across the region.”
The agreement supports Sanad’s broader strategy to evolve into a provider of end-to-end engine services and solutions and demonstrates the progress of its Asset Management strategy, launched in November 2025. As Sanad expands its presence across Asia-Pacific, its integrated MRO and Asset Management model will enable the company to address growing regional demand through engine rebuilds and asset deployment, MRO services, and engine material and piece-parts supply. This expansion will further extend the reach of Sanad’s Abu Dhabi-based aerospace capabilities into key global markets while contributing to Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading global hub for the aviation industry.