AAR and Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance complete formation of xCelle Asia joint venture

Leaders from AAR, Air France KLM E&M, and xCelle Asia gather for a signing ceremony in Chonburi, Thailand, on December 10, 2025. From left to right: Rahul Shah, Patrice Brusciano, Karim Mounsi, Jim Berberet, Benjamin Moreau, Jennifer Griffin, Michael Robinson, Tommaso Auriemma.

Wood Dale, Illinois, Paris, Amstelveen, Chonburi, Thailand — AAR CORP. (NYSE: AIR), a leading provider of aviation services to commercial and government operators, MROs, and OEMs, and Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M), a multi-product airline MRO, announced today the completion of the formation of xCelle Asia, which included the receipt of regulatory approval. This previously announced joint venture, located in Chonburi, Thailand, will overhaul nacelles for new generation aircraft.

Building on the success of AAR and AFI KLM E&M’s existing joint venture in the Americas, xCelle Asia will provide unparalleled service and support for operators in the APAC region. Licensed by multiple OEMs, xCelle Asia can perform nacelle maintenance, repair, and overhaul services, including on-wing / on-site inspections, and rotable support for next generation aircraft nacelles, including GEnx, Trent1000, LEAP-1A/1B engine types. Other new generation aircraft and engine types will follow.

“This joint venture markedly expands our service offerings in the Asia-Pacific region and furthers our ability to deliver high quality, industry leading solutions to our customers,” said Jim Berberet, Senior Vice President of Component Services at AAR. “We are looking forward to replicating our current success in the Americas by combining the experience of AAR’s highly regarded Component Services team in Thailand with AFI KLM E&M’s global network.”  

“The creation of xCelle Asia represents a major step forward in strengthening our global MRO network. By expanding our nacelle capabilities into the Asia-Pacific region, we are positioning ourselves to deliver world-class, next-generation support closer to our customers. This new venture reflects our commitment to innovation, sustainability, and operational excellence, and we are proud to bring our expertise to one of the world’s most dynamic aviation markets,” stated Benjamin Moreau, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at AFI KLM E&M. 

About xCelle Asia
xCelle Asia is a joint venture established by AAR and Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance to service next generation aircraft nacelles. An FAA/EASA certified repair station, xCelle Asia combines the expertise of an airline and a third-party MRO to maintain, repair, and overhaul components for commercial operators across the APAC region. Additional information is available at https://www.aarcorp.com/en/services/component-services and www.afiklmem.com.

About AAR
AAR is a global aerospace and defense aftermarket solutions company with operations in over 20 countries. Headquartered in the Chicago area, AAR supports commercial and government customers through four operating segments: Parts Supply, Repair & Engineering, Integrated Solutions, and Expeditionary Services. Additional information can be found at aarcorp.com.

About AFI KLM E&M
Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance is a major multi-product MRO (Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul) provider. With a workforce of over 12,800, AFI KLM E&M offers comprehensive technical support for airlines, ranging from engineering and line maintenance to engine overhaul, aero structure, and fan thrust reverser support, as well as the management, repair, and supply of aircraft components, structured around a powerful logistics network. AFI KLM E&M supports almost 3,000 aircraft operated by 200 major international and domestic airlines. www.afiklmem.com

This press release may contain certain statements relating to future results, which are forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, reflecting management’s expectations about future conditions, including anticipated activities, benefits and opportunities related to the joint venture. Forward-looking statements may also be identified because they contain words such as ‘‘anticipate,’’ ‘‘believe,’’ ‘‘continue,’’ ‘‘could,’’ ‘‘estimate,’’ ‘‘expect,’’ ‘‘intend,’’ ‘‘likely,’’ ‘‘may,’’ ‘‘might,’’ ‘‘plan,’’ ‘‘potential,’’ ‘‘predict,’’ ‘‘project,’’ ‘‘seek,’’ ‘‘should,’’ ‘‘target,’’ ‘‘will,’’ ‘‘would,’’ or similar expressions and the negatives of those terms. These forward-looking statements are based on beliefs of management, as well as assumptions and estimates based on information currently available to management and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical results or those anticipated. For a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties, refer to “Risk Factors” in AAR CORP.’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize adversely, or should underlying assumptions or estimates prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described. These events and uncertainties are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many are beyond management’s control. Management assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.

Contact
Media Team
+1-630-227-5100
Editor@aarcorp.com