Tokyo - Monday, November 10th 2014 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- SMBC Aviation Capital, the world’s third largest aircraft lessor, announces that it has placed a firm order for 80 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft in a deal worth around $8.5bn at list prices.

The deal is the largest single order of 737 MAXs by a lessor and the largest Boeing order of any kind from a Japanese-owned lessor. The aircraft will be powered by the CFM LEAP engine and will be delivered to SMBC Aviation Capital between 2018 and 2022.

Commenting on the deal, Peter Barrett, CEO of SMBC Aviation Capital, said: “It is ten years since our business placed its first order with Boeing, and we have enjoyed a decade of successful partnership since then. The Boeing 737 MAX 8 is one of the most fuel efficient and versatile aircraft available and today’s announcement shows our ongoing commitment to the new generation of the popular B737 family, as well as our appetite to keep broadening and deepening our platform in order to service our customers’ requirements. Following this order and given the clear commitment of our shareholders and the strength of the global aircraft leasing sector, we remain very confident in our ability to continue to deliver long-term growth.”

Shinichi Hayashida, Chairman of SMBC Aviation Capital, said: “Today’s announcement reinforces our shareholders’ ambition and stated strategy to continue to build a world-leading aircraft lessor with unrivalled assets, expertise and people. We are delighted with the way the business is developing and are confident that Boeing will continue to be a key ingredient in our success for many years to come.”

Ray Connor, Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO, said: “This order is another example of our history of partnership with SMBC Aviation Capital and Japan. Today’s announcement from a top leasing company is a vote of confidence in our 737 MAX and helps SMBC Aviation Capital capture the strong demand in the single-aisle market.”

In the 14 years since the platform was established, the business has acquired over 520 aircraft, 256 of which have been from the Boeing family.

Today’s deal follows SMBC Aviation Capital’s announcement in July that it had placed a firm order for 115 Airbus aircraft to be delivered between 2016 and 2022.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

SMBC Aviation Capital is the world’s third largest aircraft lessor, with a modern fleet of over 370 owned and managed aircraft valued at more than $10.5bn. The business’s strategy is to own and lease liquid, investor-friendly aircraft assets with continuous trading through the industry cycle to maximise profitability and manage risk. The business has sold more than 240 commercial aircraft valued at over US$7.5bn.

SMBC Aviation Capital has 95 airline customers and over 40 investors in more than 40 countries around the world. It is headquartered in Dublin and has offices in, Tokyo, Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore, New York, Amsterdam, Toulouse and Seattle.

Contacts

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Powerscourt

Rob Greening/Lisa Kavanagh

+44-207-250-1446

smbc@powerscourt-group.com

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