The cabin completions and refurbishment business was already reeling before the onset of Covid-19, suffering from economic doldrums and the grounding of the Boeing BBJ Max. After suspending operations up and down the supply chain to gather information and formulate and institute mitigation procedures with wartime vigor and speed, the industry roared back to life amidst the pandemic--induced lockdown. Facilities filled as owners used downtime for cabin and maintenance work. An ongoing wave of first-time buyers sought refurbishments, as executive airliner owners began to step up to new-generation ACJs and BBJs or upgrade their current rides, bringing completion centers to capacity. And the Max returned to service last December, capping a remarkable turnaround year. This year shows no signs of slowing down.
At the Completion Centers
Greenpoint Technologies capped 2020 with a BBJ 787-8 delivery, and the pioneering Boeing completions specialist is awaiting induction of a green BBJ Max 8 at its Moses Lake, Washington, facility. (Currently having auxiliary fuel tanks installed, Greenpoint said.) Could the Boeings there soon share hangar space with Airbus platforms? New CEO Klaus Koester and parent company (as of 2018) Safran have long relationships with Airbus, and Greenpoint is “working with multiple Airbus clients” now, senior director of sales Chad Thorne told AIN, adding, “Greenpoint would be honored to become an Airbus authorized completion center.”
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