'Significant milestone' in multi-million euro project celebrated in Shannon

A “SIGNIFICANT milestone” of a multi-million euro project has been marked with a celebratory event in Shannon.

International Aerospace Coatings (IAC) marked its five-year anniversary of the IAC Hangar 7 in the Shannon Airport Business Park with a ceremony that both reflected on the company’s growth trajectory and looked toward the future in the region.

On Wednesday, February 5, customers, suppliers, airport neighbours and government agencies gathered to toast to five years of the multi-million-euro hangar project which was developed by The Shannon Airport Group.

Notably, it also houses the widest hangar door in Ireland, measuring 90 meters, which is wider than Croke Park.

Martin O’Connell, CEO of IAC, took the stage to share insights into the journey of bringing the IAC Hangar 7 project to life and the company’s continued focus on expansion and innovation.

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Mr O’Connell said: “The success of the aviation industry in Shannon is something we can all take pride in.

“IAC is honoured to be a key player in this vibrant community, and we look forward to many more years of success.”

Since beginning operations in 2020, IAC has created over 100 jobs at the Hangar 7 facility which took 14 months to complete. 

Designed with sustainability and operational efficiency at the forefront, the 92,000sq ft widebody hangar incorporates advanced features like LED lighting, extensive natural light, an air recirculation system, and a heat recovery system for exhaust air. 

To date, IAC has completed over 150 aircraft repainting projects within Hangar 7, including over 25 successful A350 projects. IAC has completed aircraft with many of the world’s largest airlines and aircraft manufacturers such as Lufthansa, British Airways, Air France, TUI, Aer Lingus, Qatar Airways, Airbus and many more.

Also speaking at the event was Mary Considine, CEO of The Shannon Airport Group: "We are delighted to have developed this state-of-the-art hangar for IAC. This investment marked a significant achievement as it was Ireland’s first aircraft hangar to be developed in almost 20 years.

“The many successes of Shannon’s aviation industry is something we as a country should be very proud of as we continue to be the focus of the world’s largest aviation companies. IAC’s success is a key part of this, supporting local employment and contributing significantly to Ireland’s GDP. 

“We are immensely proud of this hangar, which takes pride of place on our airfield, and we look forward to many more years of success and growth for IAC."

In December 2024, IAC was recognized at the Aviation Industry Awards, taking home two prestigious awards: the ‘MRO Achievement Award,’ presented to Martin O’Connell, Group CEO, and the ‘Apprenticeship Programme Award,’ presented to John Mulqueen, VP of Operations Europe.

IAC is an aviation services company headquartered in Shannon and also in Irvine, California. With 11 locations across Europe and the US, IAC specialises in aircraft painting, aviation technical services, aircraft interior refurbishment and aircraft graphic solutions.