According to Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, the new factory will contribute to strengthening "the political and economic relationship" between Portugal and Germany.

“We are here for the country and to promote a development strategy, which in this case has Lufthansa Technik and the Lufthansa Group as partners. We are the main stakeholder in ensuring this partnership has a long life,” said Carsten Spohr, CEO of the Lufthansa Group, Publituris reports.

The factory will be dedicated to the maintenance and repair of aircraft components and engines, and the investment from Lufthansa Technik will create 700 highly skilled jobs, and “position Portugal as a cornerstone of European aviation maintenance,” Spohr said.

Spohr highlights Lufthansa’s confidence in the talent, capabilities and ambition of the Portuguese people and the “depth of this commitment to industry and innovation” also underpins Lufthansa's strong interest in TAP Air Portugal.

The construction of the new factory in Santa Maria da Feira represents only a part of Lufthansa Group’s strategy for Portugal, as they have a broader industrial vision, which includes a new TravelTech and AI hub in Northern Portugal, and a new Portuguese help alliance, ‘Associação help alliance Portugal’.

According to Harald Gloy, Chief Operating Officer of Lufthansa Technik, the German aviation company has big plans and strong ambitions: “Portugal will be a key pillar for our continued growth and long-term success. With this new infrastructure in Santa Maria da Feira, we will implement a fundamental part of our strategy and build a location that will play an important role in the aviation industry.”