MADRID, Spain, Sept. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- AVIATION WEEK today presented its Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) Europe 2008 awards of excellence to Lufthansa Technik and OGMA-Industria Aeronautica de Portugal at its MRO Europe Conference & Exhibition in Madrid's IFEMA Convention Center in front of nearly 300 aviation industry professionals, executives and media representatives. The ceremony was part of a two-day conference and tradeshow for 3,000 aviation maintenance and safety experts from around the globe.

Lufthansa Technik received the 2008 Best European Airline MRO of the Year Award, as selected by editors at Overhaul & Maintenance (O&M). The award honors Lufthansa Technik's commitment to environmental stewardship; its investment in personnel training, research and innovation; and its consistent business success. "Lufthansa Technik is committed to innovation, as evidenced by its composites work expansion and its Cabin Innovation Center, which is scheduled to open to Hamburg in December," said Lee Ann Tegtmeier, Managing Editor of Overhaul & Maintenance, as she presented the award to August Wilhelm Henningsen, Chairman and CEO of Lufthansa Technik.

"Overhaul & Maintenance selected OGMA to receive the Best European Independent MRO of the Year Award because of its commitment to the environment, health and safety; its forward-looking developments in aerostructures, highlighting composite materials and repair technologies; and its dexterity in providing maintenance and fleet management solutions to customers in military, commercial and executive aviation," said Frank Jackman, Editor-in-Chief of Overhaul & Maintenance. "OGMA leads by example with its environmental certification, and it is committed to reducing both pollution and occupational hazards." With customers in more than 45 companies worldwide, OGMA celebrates its 90th anniversary this year. Eduardo Bonini, Chairman of OGMA, accepted the award on behalf of his company.

The conference features Fernando Conte, CEO, Iberia; Fernando Pinto, CEO, TAP Portugal; Abdel Aziz Fadel, Chairman & CEO, EgyptAir Maintenance and Engineering; John Byers, CEO, Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies; Lorin Dumitrescu, Deputy Technical Director, Tarom Romanian Air Transport; Paul Horstink, SVP, Maintenance and Engineering, Martinair; Denis Vercherin, Chairman & CEO, Snecma Services; and other prominent figures in the global MRO industry. The exhibition hall hosts nearly 200 companies representing MRO product and services suppliers.

MRO Europe 2008 is presented by AVIATION WEEK, the largest multimedia information and services provider to the global aerospace and defense industries. Additional information is available online at http://www.aviationweek.com/conferences/meumain.htm.

About AVIATION WEEK

AVIATION WEEK, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, is the largest multimedia information and services provider to the global aviation, aerospace and defense industries, and includes the publications Aviation Week & Space Technology, Defense Technology International, Business & Commercial Aviation, Overhaul & Maintenance, ShowNews, Aviation Daily, The Weekly of Business Aviation, Aerospace Daily & Defense Report and the World Aerospace Database. The group's website, http://www.aviationweek.com, offers the industry's most reliable news, information, search and online community tools. Premium content services include the Aviation Week Intelligence Network, MRO Prospector, and the new Top-Performing Companies Benchmarking Tool. The group also produces prominent conferences, exhibitions and management forums around the world.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies

Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP) is a leading global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands including Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, BusinessWeek and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2007 were $6.8 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com.

SOURCE AVIATION WEEK