Aircraft paint sprayers’ jobs saved as new company to establish Malta facility

A new foreign investment will take over operations at Safi Aviation Park, securing the jobs of dozens of workers left in limbo following the financial collapse of Malta Aviation Cosmetics, a company specialising in aircraft painting and spraying. 

At a press conference on Wednesday, Economy Minister Silvio Schembri announced that International Aerospace Coatings (IAC), a global aircraft painting and aviation services company, will establish a facility in Malta and assume operations previously carried out by Aviation Cosmetics. 

The move follows months of uncertainty for 58 employees, who had not been paid for weeks earlier this year amid the company’s financial difficulties. Court action had been required to freeze assets and ensure workers received their outstanding wages. 

Under the new agreement, those workers will now be transferred to IAC, with the government describing the deal as providing “immediate stability” and continuity of employment. 

At the time, workers had resorted to legal action to secure their wages, with authorities intervening to ensure payments were eventually settled. 

Schembri said that all outstanding salaries have now been paid in full and that the transition to a new operator would safeguard jobs going forward. 

IAC, which operates 10 facilities across the US and Europe, plans to develop a “world-class” aircraft painting and design facility at Safi under a long-term lease agreement. 

According to the ministry, the company intends to expand the workforce from 58 employees to around 90 over the next three years. 

Schembri said the agreement demonstrated the government’s approach to handling the crisis. 

“Our aim was to turn a challenge into an opportunity,” he said, adding that the priority had been to ensure workers were paid and retained. 

“The fact that a major international company is expanding its operations here shows real trust in our economy.” 

General Workers’ Union secretary general Josef Bugeja said the outcome followed “months of intensive work” to secure both wages and long-term employment. 

Meanwhile, IAC chief executive Martin O’Connell said Malta’s location made it an attractive addition to the company’s global network. 

“Establishing our presence in Malta is a significant milestone for our global expansion,” he said, adding that the existing workforce would join an operation expected to run year-round. 

The investment forms part of broader efforts to position Malta as a hub for aviation maintenance and related services. 

IAC, founded in 1980, carries out more than 800 aircraft painting projects annually and serves clients across the aviation industry. 

The Safi facility is expected to strengthen Malta’s offering in the sector while bringing an end to a turbulent chapter for the workers previously employed by Aviation Cosmetics.