Message posted on
5 February 2024 by HIVE
A milestone in the Dutch aviation sector: on Feb. 5, 2024, Fokker Services Group’s new sustainably designed wide-body hangar, a joint project with and at Business Park Aviolanda in Woensdrecht, supported by the province of North Brabant, was festively opened. The opening ceremony was performed by outgoing Transport, Publik Works and Water Management Minister Mark Harbers, Provincial Deputy Martijn van Gruijthuijsen, Fokker’s Co-CEO Roland van Dijk and Aviolanda’s Managing Director Ivo van der Vlis.
The ceremony took place in the presence of several invited guests. Mayor Steven Adriaansen of the Municipality of Woensdrecht joined the gathering later and gave a closing speech. Earlier in the day, attendees were updated on the latest sustainable developments in aviation by Daniel Rosen Jacobson, board member of Panta Holdings, and Juriaan Kellermann, CEO of Fokker Next Gen. The innovations the two companies are working on, two zero-emission aircraft powered by hydrogen and batteries, should be operational between 2033 and 2035.
During his speech, Minister Harbers emphasized the importance of zero-emission aircraft in achieving (inter)national sustainability goals. He praised the cooperation between Aviolanda, Fokker Services Group and the province of North Brabant, which has resulted in “the most sustainable hangar in the Netherlands.” According to the minister, acting together is crucial to achieving climate goals.
In his speech, Deputy Van Gruijthuijsen focused on the innovative ecosystem in Brabant. Here the province, the industry, knowledge institutions and Defense work closely together on sustainable economic growth and strategic relevance. “Innovating together is the key to success,” the deputy said.
The mayor and deputy expressed their appreciation for Aviolanda’s new business plan, which shapes the future of the civil-military Aerospace cluster in Woensdrecht. This unique cluster combines the strengths of businesses, educational institutions and the Royal Netherlands Air Force. Mayor Adriaansen emphasized the important role of the municipality in the development of this cluster, for exapmple in the areas of accessibility and housing. “The new hangar marks an important step towards the future we envision together,” the mayor said.
The new wide-body hangar makes a crucial contribution to Fokker Services Group’s long-term goals, as market demand for finishing services continues to grow. With an impressive size of 87 meters long, 86 meters wide and 27 meters high, this state-of-the-art facility accommodates wide-body aircraft such as the A330, A350, B787 and B777. Co-CEO Roland van Dijk said, “We tirelessly pursue global excellence, with a strong focus on sustainability. This sustainable hangar marks an important milestone. With our advanced technology, engineering skills and centennial history, we are in an undisputed position to become the partner of choice for the maintenance, completion and conversion of wide-body aircraft.”
The new wide-body hangar is fully electrically powered and equipped with an environmentally friendly geothermal energy system. The modular lightweight construction developed and patented by Gaptek, along with superior insulation and advanced heat pumps, provide a 75% CO2 reduction compared to a traditional hangar. Moreover, in cooperation with the “Brabants Landschap” Foundation, it was decided to collect the rainwater that falls on the hangar roof and direct it to the adjacent nature reserve “Vinkenberg”.
With the opening of this innovative hangar, Woensdrecht is taking a big step towards a sustainable and progressive aviation industry.
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