BIJELJINA – Aviation company Orao is continuing to strengthen its position in the demanding aerospace market by investing in new technologies and expanding its engine overhaul capacities, a move expected to create opportunities for new contracts, partnerships and further development.
More than BAM 2 million has been invested in the company’s new production facility in Bijeljina, which is scheduled to officially begin operations on September 23. The facility will be used to overhaul two additional engine types, the Rolls-Royce M250 and Pratt & Whitney PT6A-25C, for which the company is currently undergoing certification.
Orao currently employs 341 people, including 120 employees with university degrees, while expansion into foreign markets remains the main objective of its enlarged overhaul program.
Orao Director Marko Mrkajić told Glas Srpske that the project involved adapting an existing hall used for turbojet engine overhaul and installing the equipment required to work on the new engine types.
“These are two new types of engines that we will work on in the future, and we are currently in the certification phase. One of the basic requirements is an appropriate workspace, meaning a workshop with the necessary equipment. The total value of the investment exceeds BAM 2 million when the adaptation, equipment purchases and other resources needed to prepare the facility are taken into account,” Mrkajić said.
The new program will cover the Rolls-Royce M250 and Pratt & Whitney PT6A-25C engines.
Important step in the company’s technological development
According to Mrkajić, introducing the two engine types represents an important step in Orao’s technological development.
“With new equipment and new-generation engines, we are further developing our capabilities to remain competitive in foreign markets. We are an export-oriented company, and the work carried out under this program will be directed toward international markets. At this point, we cannot discuss the final customers, but these engines are widely used in a large number of countries,” he said.
Speaking about the company’s business performance, Mrkajić said Orao has operated profitably in recent years, remains liquid and regularly meets its obligations toward employees, suppliers, the state and creditors.
According to him, the Serbian and Indian defense ministries are currently among the company’s largest customers.
“We are aware that we can survive in the aviation market, which is extremely demanding, only by introducing new technologies. What we currently do is not sufficient for the company’s future development, which is why we decided to invest in these two engine types,” Mrkajić said.
Orao currently employs 341 people, including 120 highly educated professionals. Its workforce includes mechanical and electrical engineers, physicists, chemists, economists and lawyers.
Skilled workers remain essential
Mrkajić also emphasized the importance of skilled technical workers and the company’s cooperation with a secondary mechanical engineering school.
“What keeps people at Orao is the opportunity to acquire different types of knowledge and develop professionally. This company is, in a sense, an inexhaustible source of knowledge because employees have the opportunity to learn, improve their skills and work in different fields. Along with salaries and everything else that matters, I believe the opportunity for continuous learning is one of the main reasons professionals recognize Orao as a place to work and develop their careers,” he said.
Looking ahead, Mrkajić said the company’s strategic goal is to maintain its position in the aviation market while expanding its programs in overhaul, manufacturing and related activities.
“In addition to strengthening overhaul capacities and introducing new programs, we also see opportunities for development in our Production unit through cooperation with internationally recognized aviation companies. We currently cooperate with Pratt & Whitney, while negotiations are underway with other well-known companies in the civil aviation sector,” Mrkajić said.
The new facility could also create additional jobs, although the company has not specified how many new employees could be hired.
“There is room for new personnel. This is a complex technological process, and new employees will be able to acquire knowledge through knowledge transfer from our existing workforce. This could be a good opportunity both for the company and for the people who join us,” Mrkajić said.
Galvanochemical processes also offer growth potential
Mrkajić said the company also sees opportunities for expansion in electroplating and galvanochemical processes, as well as in its laboratory, which performs calibration and metrology services and measures physical and electrical quantities.
“All of these activities, in addition to our core overhaul program, have room for further development in both the civil aviation and broader commercial markets,” Mrkajić said.
Source: Glas Srpske
