EirTrade Aviation has achieved KPI-Diamond accreditation from the Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association (AFRA) for its airframe and engine disassembly facility at Ireland West Airport Knock, recognising its standards in aircraft recycling and asset management.
The accreditation recognises the facility's application of best management practices under AFRA's standards, with particular emphasis on the quality and consistency of data collected throughout the disassembly process.
Steven Trowell, senior vice president - maintenance and disassembly at EirTrade Aviation, said the certification provides additional assurance to airlines, lessors and the used serviceable material (USM) sector.
“At the Diamond standard, data is gathered for each asset, so it doesn’t matter if it is one engine or 20 aircraft, the level of detail and monitoring is the same. It’s a team effort.”
The accreditation comes as EirTrade Aviation expands its disassembly and line maintenance operations at Knock, driven by increasing demand for aircraft and engine teardown and end-of-lease redelivery services.
The company is also investing in recruitment and training to support growing activity at the facility, which combines aircraft disassembly with Part-145 line maintenance capabilities.
“As the only teardown operation in Ireland we have a huge responsibility to reassure our customers, in the airline, lessor and Used Serviceable Material (USM) community, that we meet the highest standards in Europe,” Trowell said.
“We’re running this established capability alongside our Part-145 line maintenance services, so Knock is fast becoming an aviation hub of interest to technicians and maintenance engineers.”
EirTrade Aviation's expansion is taking place alongside wider plans to develop Ireland West Airport as an aviation services centre.
The airport's government-backed Strategic Development Zone provides for 44,000 sqm of aviation-related development, including aircraft maintenance and associated services.
Its existing infrastructure includes a 2,511-metre runway, while a planned infrastructure investment programme exceeding €35 million between 2026 and 2028 is intended to support further development.
EirTrade Aviation sees opportunities to capitalise on Knock's location between Europe and North America, particularly for aircraft lease transitions, storage, maintenance and disassembly.
Trowell added: “The combination of aircraft disassembly, line maintenance, storage and lease-transition services that EirTrade offer deliver opportunities for operational efficiencies and diversified revenue.
"We believe that our expansion will attract further aviation investment, create highly skilled employment and support the development of a specialist aerospace cluster in the west of Ireland.”
The company said its disassembly activities also support the recovery, reuse and recycling of aircraft components and materials, contributing to the aviation industry's circular economy.
