Avolon partners with cabin supplier Soisa to recycle discarded aircraft materials

Irish aircraft leasing giant Avolon has teamed up with Mexico-based Soisa Aircraft Interiors to turn scrap material from the inside of old aircraft into craft products.

Under the “Waste to Wonder” project, set up by the two companies, waste materials, including more than 800kg of leather, are to be donated to members of the Tarahumara tribe in Chihuahua, Mexico, who will use them to make traditional artisan products such as wallets, bags, aprons, and tablecloths.

The interior furnishings of aircraft being decommissioned or refitted, such as seat covers and curtains, often end up in a landfill.

“Through the ‘Waste to Wonder’ project they are instead helping to provide an income stream for the families of 55 Tarahumara tribe members who have participated in the project,” the companies said.

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Avolon noted its recently adopted sustainability strategy includes a commitment to support the circular economy by increasing the reuse and recycling of materials from old aircraft in a sustainable manner.

Enda Swan, head of technical Avolon, said: “The Waste to Wonder project provides an excellent example of how, through creativity and collaboration, better use can be made of materials in the aviation supply chain that were previously regarded as scrap.

“The ability of the Tarahumara tribe members in Chihuahua to produce beautiful artisan products out of old leather from seat covers has been inspiring to see. Avolon is committed to finding more opportunities to decommission end-of-life aviation materials in a sustainable manner,” he said.

Soisa chief executive Jacobo Mesta said: “Working more sustainably is a key objective at Soisa and this project has provided a perfect opportunity to convert something previously regarded as waste into a craft product that can be sold to improve the livelihoods of local communities.”

Dublin-headquartered Avolon earnings rose more than 900 per cent to $76 million (€68 million) in the three months ended June 30th, a recent trading update showed. The company also confirmed recently that it had ordered 40 Boeing 737 Max aircraft and 20 Airbus A330neo jets. Avolon buys aircraft from manufacturers and leases them to airlines. On June 30th the company owned, managed, or had pledged to buy 875 planes.