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This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant 
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ROLLS-ROYCE
A Circular Economy Business Model Case
Aleyn Smith-Gillespie, Associate Director, Carbon Trust
Ana Muñoz, Consultant, Carbon Trust
Doug Morwood, CEO, Whole Earth Futures
Tiphaine Aries, Analyst, Carbon Trust
NOTE: This project deliverable has not yet been officially approved for release by the European Commission.
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This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant 
agreement No. 730378
Contents
Executive Summary.................................................................................................................................5
1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................7
1.1 Background and context.........................................................................................................7
1.2 Business overview...................................................................................................................8
1.3 The case study analysis process..............................................................................................9
1.4 Report outline .........................................................................................................................9
2 Rolls-Royce’s business context analysis........................................................................................11
2.1 Scope of the business context analysis.................................................................................11
2.2 Contextual factor analysis.....................................................................................................11
2.2.1 Demographic trends .....................................................................................................11
2.2.2 Rules and regulations....................................................................................................12
2.2.3 Economy and environment...........................................................................................13
2.2.4 Competition ..................................................................................................................13
2.2.5 Technology trends.........................................................................................................14
2.2.6 Customer needs............................................................................................................14
3 Business model assessment..........................................................................................................15
3.1 Business model overview..................................................................................................15
3.2 Customer segments..........................................................................................................16
3.2.1 Customer needs............................................................................................................16
3.2.2 Optimising maintenance costs and time-on-wing ........................................................18
3.2.3 Maximising aircraft availability .....................................................................................22
3.2.4 Maximising operational efficiency................................................................................22
3.2.5 Managing asset value....................................................................................................23
3.2.6 Customer requirements over the engine lifecycle........................................................24
3.3 Value proposition..............................................................................................................26
3.3.1 Historical perspective – before TotalCare.....................................................................26
3.3.2 Origins of TotalCare ......................................................................................................26
3.3.3 The engine product.......................................................................................................28
3.3.4 The TotalCare value proposition...................................................................................30
3.3.5 TotalCare Term..............................................................................................................30
3.3.6 TotalCare Life ................................................................................................................31
3.3.7 TotalCare Flex................................................................................................................31
3.3.8 Extending the range of services and support offered...................................................32
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3.3.9 Summary of value created by TotalCare.......................................................................34
3.4 Channels............................................................................................................................35
3.4.1 Direct customer sales....................................................................................................35
3.4.2 CareStore ......................................................................................................................35
3.4.3 Airframe OEMs..............................................................................................................36
3.5 Customer relationships.....................................................................................................36
3.6 Revenue streams...............................................................................................................37
3.6.1 Engine sales...................................................................................................................37
3.6.2 Service revenue: Power-by-the-hour............................................................................38
3.7 Key resources....................................................................................................................38
3.7.1 Engine fleet ...................................................................................................................38
3.7.2 Engine performance data..............................................................................................41
3.7.3 Global CareNetwork......................................................................................................42
3.7.4 Customer Service and Relationship Network ...............................................................43
3.8 Key activities .....................................................................................................................44
3.8.1 MRO services.................................................................................................................44
3.8.2 Digital analytics and value-added service.....................................................................44
3.8.3 Revert Programme........................................................................................................47
3.9 Key Partners......................................................................................................................48
3.9.1 MRO service partners ...................................................................................................48
3.9.2 Digital partners..............................................................................................................49
3.9.3 Suppliers and Risk and Revenue Sharing Partners........................................................49
3.10 Cost structure....................................................................................................................50
3.10.1 MRO service delivery ....................................................................................................50
3.10.2 Engine development and production costs..................................................................50
3.11 The Value Network ...........................................................................................................52
3.12 Business model circularity assessment.................................................................................55
3.13 Financial outcomes assessment........................................................................................56
3.13.1 Commercial success......................................................................................................56
3.13.2 Commercial risks...........................................................................................................60
3.14 Non-financial outcomes assessment ................................................................................61
3.14.1 Material efficiency through extending lifetime and utility...........................................61
3.14.2 Material efficiency through better parts management and reuse...............................62
3.14.3 Material efficiency through recycling (Revert programme) .........................................62
3.14.4 Material efficiency through better repair processes....................................................63
3.14.5 Customer satisfaction and deepening relationships.....................................................63
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3.15 Role of ICT and technology in improving profitability and material efficiency ................64
3.16 SWOT analysis...................................................................................................................65
3.16.1 Strengths.......................................................................................................................66
3.16.2 Weaknesses...................................................................................................................67
3.16.3 Opportunities................................................................................................................68
3.16.4 Threats and uncertainties.............................................................................................68
4 Discussion & Conclusions..............................................................................................................70
4.1 Key enablers – historical perspective................................................................................70
4.2 Future enablers, barriers and challenges..........................................................................71
4.3 Replicability in other sectors.............................................................................................73
4.4 Insights for business guidelines ........................................................................................74
4.5 Insights for policy recommendations................................................................................75
References ........................................................................................................................................76
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This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant 
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Executive Summary
This report presents the case study of Rolls-Royce’s ‘TotalCare’ business model for widebody aircraft
aero engines. It was chosen due to the commercially successful development of a whole lifecycle,
servitised value proposition and associated business model.
Insights for business guidelines 
This case study highlights the following key insights relevant to companies in similar industries or 
sharing a similar context:
 Revenue mechanisms that align interests between a company and its customers can 
create powerful circular business models. Although Rolls-Royce engines are sold to the 
aircraft owner, the TotalCare service package means Rolls-Royce retains responsibility for 
ensuring the product performs to customer requirements. The power-by-the-hour charging 
mechanism (revenues generated per engine flight hour) keeps incentives aligned by 
rewarding Rolls-Royce when the product is working as needed, and penalising it when it is 
not. This mechanism and alignment between the OEM and its customers encourages 
continuous improvement and collaboration. This also drives the extension of asset lifetime 
while optimising/reducing repair and maintenance costs. This results in reduced waste, 
increased resource efficiency, and enhances the asset’s value over its lifetime.
 Service-focused offerings that enable manufacturers to gain insight and intelligence on the 
use and performance of their products can lead to better customer service, improved 
product/service design, and resource efficiency. TotalCare provides opportunities for 
constant insight and learning around customer requirements. This insight is enabled by the 
collection of engine usage and performance data, as well as through deep customer 
relationships. This produces ongoing improvements and evolution of the value proposition 
itself as well as expansion of value added services. This means that the customer is no longer 
buying ‘just’ a product, but gaining expanded value addressing a suite of needs and 
requirements. This provides greater flexibility for manufacturers to manage the underlying 
asset within a service contract, focusing on outcomes for the customer.
 Servitised performance-based models can be important enablers for ‘Resource Recovery’ 
as well as ‘Re-condition’ / ‘Re-make’ circular business model patterns. In the example of 
TotalCare, Rolls-Royce’s service contract includes the provision of maintenance services 
which it has the responsibility and flexibility to deliver in an optimal way. This ensures that 
the ‘life’ and utility of the engine product is kept at the right level over its lifetime. 
Furthermore, the service contract gives the manufacturer visibility of the product 
throughout its lifecycle. This is especially relevant at the end-of-cycle where it creates an 
opportunity for product take-back and recovery of high value materials through close-loop 
recycling. 
 When transitioning from a product-focused to a service-focused business model, the 
installed base becomes a key asset and driver of revenue and profitability. In productfocused business models, revenue is driven by the product sales price, and potentially some 
recurring revenue from maintenance services and sale of consumables and add-ons. In a 
service-focused business model, the installed base of products in use can become the driver 
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of recurring revenue over the product’s lifecycle. This aligns financial performance for the 
manufacturer (revenue and profits) with ensuring that products in use are kept at optimal 
performance for as long as possible. This in turn is a key enabler for resource efficiency and 
waste elimination. 
Insights for policy recommendations 
In this case study, issues related to policy primarily focus on the potential of product-service 
offerings being perceived as anti-competitive. 
In order for many product-service or servitised business models to work, tight integration is required 
between the delivery of the product, the provision of services around the product, and the overall 
revenue model for charging the customer. In effect, products and services get tightly bundled and 
cannot be differentiated from the customer’s perspective. As illustrated by the TotalCare case study, 
this can also require tight integration of an ‘ecosystem’ of partnerships and infrastructure (for
example suppliers and providers of maintenance services). This integration is needed to align 
business models between partners, as well as processes and technology, in order to maximise 
efficiency and minimise risks.
This degree of ‘lock-in’ can create a perception of reduced choice and competition in the market. 
Competition policy may therefore need to adapt to account for new servitised approaches, and to 
ensure that unfair practices are properly distinguished from innovative and value-adding business 
models.
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This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant 
agreement No. 730378
1 Introduction
1.1 Background and context
R2π – Transition from Linear to Circular is a European Union Horizon 2020 project focused on
enabling organisations and their value chains to transition towards a more viable, sustainable and
competitive economic model in order to support the European Union’s strategy on sustainability and
competitiveness.
R2π examines the shift from the broad concept of a Circular Economy (CE) to one of Circular
Economy Business Models (CEBM) by tackling market opportunities and failures (businesses,
consumers) as well as policy opportunities and failures (assumptions, unintended consequences). Its
innovation lies in having a strong business-model focus (including designing transition guidelines) as
well as in the role of policy development (including designing policy packages).
The ultimate objective of the R2π project is to accelerate widespread implementation of a circular
economy based on successful business models and effective policies:
 to ensure sustained economic development,
 to minimize environmental impact and
 to maximize social welfare.
The mission of the project is therefore to identify and develop sustainable business models and
guidelines that will facilitate the circular economy, and to propose policy packages that will support
the implementation of these sustainable models.
A core part of this project is to work with organisations who are on the journey towards developing
circular economy business models, as well as those who have the ambition to do so but haven’t yet
begun. The project has conducted case studies of 18 selected organisations.
The 18 chosen cases covered all five priority areas highlighted in the EU Action Plan on the Circular
Economy: plastics, food waste, biomass/bio-based, important raw materials, and construction &
demolition. Additionally, the cases were selected to ensure learning in each of the seven business
model patterns defined by the R2Pi project: re-make, re-condition, circular sourcing, co-product
recovery, access, performance and resource recovery, and these will be discussed in more detail in
this report. To gather wide-ranging lessons from differing company sizes and maturities, the
following were selected: 7 large corporations, 8 small, medium enterprises, 1 public entity, 1 entire
value chain with both public and private organisations and 1 ongoing social project. 
This report presents the case study of Rolls-Royce’s ‘TotalCare’ business model for widebody aircraft
aero engines. It was chosen due to the commercially successful development of a whole lifecycle,
servitised value proposition and associated business model.
The next section provides a more detailed overview of the case organisation’s business.
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1.2 Business overview
Rolls-Royce’s Civil Aerospace business is a leading manufacturer of aero engines for the large
commercial aircraft, regional jet and business aviation markets. The business uses its engineering
expertise, in-depth knowledge and capabilities to provide through-life support solutions for its
customers. Rolls-Royce has a 35% market share of engines installed in the passenger fleet for
widebody aircraft. Civil Aerospace is Rolls-Royce’s largest business unit, accounting for over £7 billion
of revenues in 2017. Figure 1 below shows the revenue mix within this business unit.
FIGURE 1 ROLLS-ROYCE CIVIL AEROSPACE BUSINESS REVENUE MIX
Source: Rolls-Royce plc Annual Report 2017
While engine manufacturing has traditionally been the core of Rolls-Royce’s Civil Aerospace business,
revenue from the provision of aftermarket services now dominates (as shown above). The key driver
of service revenue is the TotalCare offering, which this case study focuses on. TotalCare provides
services to Rolls-Royce’s airline customers over the entire lifecycle of the engine.
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1.3 The case study analysis process
The case study process was structured in three main steps, plus an optional workshop, and 
concludes with this document as the final report (see diagram below).
1.4 Report outline
The first chapter introduction has provided a high-level overview of the case and case study process.
Chapter 2 presents the big picture surrounding the business, showing the context in which it operates
and the key external factors. Chapter 3 is an analysis of the business at the building block level of the
business model, including the circularity of the business, the financials, and the strengths and
weaknesses. Chapter 4 draws conclusions about the current state of the business and its future
potential.
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Glossary of terms
AOG Aircraft On Ground – where an aircraft is not able to take off due to a 
technical fault.
CSC Customer Service Centre
EFC Engine Flight Cycle. A complete flight cycle includes the following
events: engine start; a take-off and landing; and engine shutdown.
EFH Engine Flight Hour
EHM Engine Health Monitoring
EIS Entry Into Service
IP Intellectual Property
LLP
Life Limited Parts. Life limited parts are parts that, as a condition of their 
type certificate, may not exceed a specified time, or number of 
operating cycles, in service. These types of parts cannot be feasibly 
repaired. See also RP- Repairable Parts.
MRO Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul
OE Original Equipment
OEM Original Equipment Manufacturer
PBH Power By the Hour
RP
Repairable parts. Some high value aircraft parts can be repaired using 
various re-manufacturing processes such as machining, welding, 
plating, etc. See also LLP – Life Limited Parts.
RRSP Risk and Revenue Sharing Partnership
SV Shop Visit
Time and Material
Traditional maintenance contracts where the client pays for labour 
hours and materials consumed during a maintenance check. The MRO 
shop does not take any risk of cost overruns.
$/EFH Revenue ($) per engine flight hour (EFH)
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2 Rolls-Royce’s business context analysis
 
2.1 Scope of the business context analysis
The objective of the context analysis is to identify the main external factors that are to be considered
in order to explain the success (or failure) of Circular Economy Business Models (CEBM), as well as
their potential role in accelerating the transition towards a Circular Economy.
The business context research included a combination of interviews with relevant key stakeholders of
the case organisation as well as complementary desk research where required. The objective was to
identify relevant factors (geographic or sector-specific) within which the business model operates
today, as well as key trends that may influence how it evolves in the future.
Rolls-Royce stakeholders interviewed for this report were the Sustainability Manager for Engineering
and Design; and the Marketing Manager for Services, Civil Aerospace. Additional stakeholders were
consulted internally by these direct counterparts to provide input and review findings.
2.2 Contextual factor analysis
2.2.1 Demographic trends
Growth of air travel continues to grow, with consensus forecasts of air traffic (revenue passenger 
kilometres) growth of approximately 5% compound annual growth rate over the next 20 years. A 
significant amount of growth is forecast to come from Asian carriers in particular. 
The underlying factors behind this trend are economic growth as well as demographic and socioeconomic trends where the global middle class is forecast to double over a similar time period. This 
spending power will generate additional demand for flying.
FIGURE 2 PASSENGER WIDEBODY AIRCRAFT IN SERVICE FORECAST
Source: Rolls-Royce (2017) – Rolls-Royce Services – Pioneering Care for the widebody market
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2.2.2 Rules and regulations
Environmental regulation 
ACARE and industry standards
The aviation sector has a growing environmental impact including direct carbon emissions, noise 
pollution and hazardous material waste. To tackle some of these issues the Advisory Council for 
Aeronautics Research in Europe (ACARE) has set goals to limit these negative externalities. These 
include the target for all aircraft to be designed and manufactured in a way that enables them to be 
recycled at their end-of-life by 2050. 
EU-ETS
Aircraft operating within the EU fall within the carbon emissions trading scheme (EU-ETS). While EUETS carbon prices have been relatively low, future pressure from this and other types of carbon 
regulation will put pressure on airlines, who in turn will look to airframe and engine manufacturers 
such as Rolls-Royce to address this through greater fuel efficiency and new technologies. ACARE has 
also set carbon emission targets for the industry which directly impacts Rolls-Royce as supplier of 
aircraft engines.
REACH
The EU REACH regulation (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) aims 
to improve the protection of human health and the environment through better and earlier 
identification of the intrinsic properties of chemical substances. This is done by four processes, 
namely the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals.
Aero-engine manufacturing includes chemicals falling within the REACH regulations, and will require 
compliance within own operations as well as that of suppliers. This will include requiring 
authorisation for continued use where alternatives are not feasible. However future changes to 
authorisation creates risks for companies such as Rolls-Royce: if a chemical incorporated into 
engines or manufacturing processes is further restricted, this may put at risk the re-use of parts and 
materials from used engines as required in their business model.
Competition regulation 
The recent period of 2015-16 saw increasing scrutiny by the European Commission of OEM practices 
in the aftermarket for parts and services following complaints from airlines and the IATA industry 
body. This stemmed from perceptions of anti-competitive practices of OEMs such as restricting 
information and access to IP by third party independent MRO providers; requiring the use of OEMsourced parts and components; and locking customers into using designated MRO shops.
While this probe has not resulted in further action, it highlights potential challenges that companies 
such as Rolls-Royce may face in capturing value from aftermarket services. 
“[Airlines] have little alternative but to sign on to long-term maintenance and parts agreements 
containing pricing escalations that are often above the inflation rate.”
Tony Tyler, ex-CEO, IATA 
Source: Financial Times
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2.2.3 Economy and environment
New Airline customers 
Growth in the airline industry is creating new entrants in the airline (aircraft operator) sector. New 
entrants may not have the depth of technical capability to conduct their own MRO planning and 
execution, and will likely value the outsourcing of aftermarket services to engine OEMs who can 
provide an integrated and competitive service. 
New entrants in the airframe manufacturing sector 
The market for widebody airframe manufacturing is dominated by Airbus in Europe, and Boeing in 
the US. Russia and China are developing both their own as well as joint manufacturing capabilities 
for widebody aircraft: China’s COMAC and Russia’s UAC have joined forces to establish the China 
Russia Commercial Aircraft International Corporation (CRAIC). This will create at least one new 
customer for engine manufacturers. 
Materials costs and scarcity 
Aircraft engines incorporate exotic alloys and rare metals such as Rhenium (Re), Cobalt (Co), 
Tantalum (Ta), and Rhenium (Re). Global demand from multiple sectors for these metals is leading 
engine manufacturers to consider price and security of supply in future design and supply chain 
decisions. 
FIGURE 3 EVOLVING COMPOSITION OF TURBINE BLADE ALLOYS
Source: Rolls-Royce (2013), Material Challenges for the Aerospace Sector
2.2.4 Competition
The business of commercial aircraft engines is characterised by high upfront investment in 
technology development, very long business cycles, and a high degree of regulatory and 
performance standards – which creates high barriers to entry for any new competitor. Nevertheless, 
the market for widebody aircraft engines is very competitive among the three key OEM players: GE, 
Rolls-Royce, and Pratt & Whitney. 
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From the perspective of airframe manufacturers and airline customers there is increasingly a 
strategic option between multi-vendor sourcing to ensure competitive pricing and choice, and 
forming deeper and exclusive relationships with a single engine supplier. Currently, most aircraft 
models can be fitted with engines from multiple vendors, while some exclusive relationships are 
developing (e.g. between Airbus and Rolls-Royce for the A350 and Trent XWB engine).
2.2.5 Technology trends
Evolution of engine performance and hardware 
Aircraft engines are staying on-wing for longer due to improved reliability and durability with each
new generation of engine technology. Thisis a trend that is expected to continue with next-generation
engines.
New and emerging engines such as Rolls-Royce’s Trent XWB and Trent 7000 employ new technologies
to optimise reliability and efficiency,such as 3D-printed components, composite materials, and bladed
discs (‘blisks’). This has implications for MRO provision as they require different repair and inspection
processes.
Digitisation 
Digitisation is a trend that pervades multiple aspects of aero-engines: from design through to engine
data analysis; supply chain materials management; and integration with other digital sources for
better in-flight performance – and associated value-added services.
As indicated by Rolls-Royce: “Advances in sensors, communication, data storage, processing power,
machine learning, artificial intelligence, robotics and additive layer manufacturing are all combining
to create new insights, processes, and opportunities”.
Electrification of power 
The overarching trend towards a lower carbon economy is creating a need to develop new propulsion
technologiesthatrely less on – and eventually eliminate – the use of fossil fuelsthrough electrification.
As the jet engine technology of Rolls-Royce and other OEMs is based on mechanical technology, the
move towards electrical technology will be a significant discontinuity.
While this is a longer-term trend, the aero engine industry is actively looking at developing new
electrical technology, beginning with hybrid and electro-mechanical solutions. This will likely require
new capabilities, new partnerships, and potential changes to business models.
2.2.6 Customer needs
Environmental performance and scrutiny 
Airline customers are continuously looking for improved engine performance in terms of fuel
efficiency, carbon emissions, NOx emissions, and noise pollution. Airlines themselves are under
pressure from carbon regulations such as the European emissions trading scheme (EU-ETS) for the
airline sector. With regards to noise, engine technology has reached a point where the airplane’s
airframe itself is the constraint on further improvements. This may shift the focus for Rolls-Royce
engines on other environmental KPIs.
Airframe customers are increasingly requiring Rolls-Royce to provide greater information and
transparency on the environmental performance of engines, including their supply chain impacts,
through full lifecycle analysis.
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3 Business model assessment
The business model assessment has been conducted through a combination of publicly available 
information, interviews with employees and stakeholders of the case organisation and internal 
documents provided by the organisation. Rolls-Royce stakeholders interviewed for this report were 
the Sustainability Manager for Engineering and Design; and the Marketing Manager for Services, 
Civil Aerospace. Additional stakeholders were consulted internally by these direct counterparts to 
provide input and review findings.
The objectives were to gain a deeper understanding of the circular business model and to map out 
the value chain and interactions in more detail in order to enable an analysis of the strengths and 
weaknesses as well as to consider the replicability and transferability of such a model to other 
entities and sectors.
3.1 Business model overview
“We care about the performance of our solutions throughout their lives. Our whole-life
capabilities maximise availability and enable us to meet changing customer needs”
Rolls-Royce 2017 Annual Report
This section describes the building blocks of Rolls-Royce’s TotalCare business model. These are 
summarised in the business model canvas (Figure 4) below.
FIGURE 4 BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS
Source: R2Pi Project analysis, company interviews
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In the above diagram, elements of the business model which are not directly covered by the scope of
this case study, but are relevant to Rolls-Royce’s overall business model or contribute to circularity,
are shown in a lighter shade. This are also described in the sections below.
It should be noted that the traditional nine-block canvas for circular business models outlined above
has been adapted to include an additional building block – Social and Environmental. This is designed
to capture key social or environmental benefits or costs which arise from the application of the circular
business model. Discussion of non-financial outcomes is covered in Section 3.14.
3.2 Customer segments
Rolls-Royce serves airline operators around the world. Companies will typically buy Rolls-Royce
engines as part of an aircraft purchase deal. For widebody aircraft, these will be purchased from either
Boeing or Airbus Industries, the two dominant players in that market. A separate deal is made for
purchasing the engines which are then fitted onto the aircraft delivered.
Buyers of new aircraft and engines are either airline companies themselves, or airplane leasing
companies. The latter purchase airplanes and lease them to airline operators. Approximately 40% of
aircraft in service are leased. Airline operators and airplane leasing companies are therefore the two
key customer segments for engine sales.
However with respect to aftermarket services (maintenance, repair and other support services), the
main customer segment for Rolls-Royce is airline operators. For the purpose of this case study, airline
operators are the key customer segment we will focus on.
In addition to whether they operate owned or leased aircraft, other factors distinguish sub-segments
within airline operators. One of the relevant factors is the degree to which the operator has in-house
engine asset management and maintenance capabilities. For instance, large established airline
companies may have their own MRO shops and capabilities, or existing commercial relationships with
third party MRO service suppliers. On the other hand, more recent or start-up airline operators (a
significant source of growth for new airplane deliveries or buyers of used aircraft) may not have these
in-house capabilities. This can influence the degree to which airline operators value aftermarket
services provided by OEMs such as Rolls-Royce.
3.2.1 Customer needs
To understand how Rolls-Royce’s TotalCare creates value for customers it is important to understand
the implications that engine maintenance and performance has on key areas of value-at-stake for an
airline.
Direct maintenance costs are about 4% of an airline’s total operating costs. However the proper
maintenance and operation of aircraft engine has implications on a much wider set of factors that
influence value to the airline operator (illustrated in Figure 5).
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FIGURE 5 TOTAL VALUE AT STAKE IMPACT OF ENGINES
Source: Adapted from Rolls-Royce plc (2017) – Rolls-Royce Services – Pioneering Care for the
widebody market
In relation to engines, key ‘jobs-to-be-done’ for airline operators include:
 Optimising maintenance costs and time on wing: Airlines want predictability and control of
engine maintenance costs and operational impacts. Direct maintenance costs are about 4% of
an airline’s total operating costs, although they vary and increase over time with engine age.
When an engine is taken off-wing for maintenance it is not available to power the aircraft
which may need to be grounded. Timing of planned engine maintenance therefore needs to
be balanced with operational and cost considerations. Furthermore there is a risk of either
planned maintenance being more costly than anticipated, or unplanned maintenance being
required (with additional cost and operational implications).
 Maximising aircraft availability: Airlines want aircraft to take off as planned and avoid the risk
of delays and cancellations impacting costs and reputation. Airlines need to ensure that their
aircraft are available to fly when required without disrupting quality of passenger experience.
 Maximising operational efficiency: Fuel consumption is a significant operational cost to
airlines that needs to be managed. Airlines seek to enhance fuel efficiency of aircraft through
better flight practices as well as flight routing based on weather and other atmospheric
conditions.
 Managing asset value: Engines are transferable assets that maintain their value compared to
the airframe, exceeding 70% of total aircraft value as it matures. Aircraft owners seek to
optimise the value of engine assets over their lifetime and to maximise recovery of this value
if it is sold and transferred to another party, or through residual value at end of life.
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They key customer requirements and jobs-to-be-done are discussed in further detail below. For
context, it is also important to note that certain characteristics of widebody aircraft engines (also
referred to as the ‘power-plant’) drive aspects of the business models needed to operate and service
them:
 They are high-value assets: Widebody engines typically cost over USD 20m at list price.
 They have a long operating life: The typical lifetime of an individual engine is 20-25 years.
 They are mission-critical: They need to be able to operate safely and efficiently within high
temperatures and highly corrosive environments (core engine temperature can reach
1,500⁰C).
 They are high-tech and complex: Typically composed of about 10,000 parts and several key
modules.
FIGURE 6 WIDEBODY ENGINE MODULES (ROLLS-ROYCE TRENT 1000)
Source: Ojha, P. (2014)
3.2.2 Optimising maintenance costs and time-on-wing
When an airline takes delivery of a new fleet of aircraft and engines it needs to establish and
implement an engine lifecycle management plan to maximise ‘on-wing’ time and minimise costs of
maintenance and shop visits. When engines are purchased without an OEM service package such as
TotalCare, it will manage and maintain itsfleet of enginesitself (eitherthrough own technical expertise
and MRO facilities, or in partnership with third party MRO suppliers).
Engine fleet management and MRO planning and execution is a complex process that needs to take
into account multiple factors and changing circumstances. These include:
 Managing and keeping engines within their performance and safety parameters (stipulated
by industry regulators and OEMs)
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 Replacing Life Limited Parts(LLPs) based on their designated lifetimes. LLPs cannot be repaired
and reused, so are effectively ‘consumed’ over a given number of flight cycles.
 Changes to performance and LLP consumption due to changes in aircraft operations and
increased or decreased intensity of use as well as normal wear and tear.
 Own commercial considerations and policies (e.g. degree to which an airline wishes to ‘sweat
its assets’, operational time horizon of aircraft, etc.)
 Unforeseen events requiring increased maintenance, such as Airworthiness Directives placed
on engines, or unexpected engine failures.
 Changing technical and commercial needs as engines move through theirlifecycle (see below).
Engine maintenance throughout an engine’s lifetime is required to keep it in good operating condition
to maintain and preserve its value (minimising deterioration) and to meet stringent safety
requirements. The engine needs to undergo a shop visit, in which it is removed from the wing and
disassembled, at key intervals over its lifetime (illustrated in Figure 7). The main elements of a shop
visit are one or a combination of both:
 Performance restoration. Servicing or replacing elements of the engine to bring it back to
required performance.
 Replacement of Life Limited Parts (LLPs). These are parts that have a defined lifetime (number
of flight cycles) and which are consumed through use and need to be replaced once this is
exhausted.
FIGURE 7 SHOP VISIT INTERVALS OVER AN ENGINE LIFECYCLE (ILLUSTRATIVE)
Source: Ackert, S. (2011)
The workscope of a shop visit (i.e. the combination of performance restoration and LLP replacement
across an engine’s different modules and parts) will vary over the engine’s lifecycle stages. Figure 8
illustrates a typical shop visit process.
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FIGURE 8 SHOP VISIT AND MAINTENANCE PROCESS (ILLUSTRATIVE)
Source: Ackert, S. (2011)
An ideal objective is to keep an engine utilised and on-wing (i.e. keeping an aircraft flying and
generating revenues) for as long as possible between shop visits, and reduce the cost of shop visits.
This is done through careful management of workscopes, which in turn depends on level of engine
wear and tear (manifested through engine performance) and the ‘hard’ limiting factor of LLP lifetime.
Historically, engines were removed for shop visits at specified time intervals. However advanced
engine health monitoring systems and analytics is enabling effective ‘on-condition monitoring’ that
alows engines to fly as long as possible until they reach a hard performance constraint or LLP
replacement.
Over the 20-25 year typical lifetime of an individual engine, a number of things will change:
 Maintenance costs will increase with increasing age of the engine (see Figure 9)
 The likelihood and frequency of maintenance events will vary (from relatively ‘light touch’ onwing, to shop visits for performance restoration or full overhauls)
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FIGURE 9 IMPACT OF ENGINE AGE ON DIRECT MAINTENANCE COSTS (ILLUSTRATIVE)
Source: Ackert, S. (2012)
Maintenance costs for an airline operator are approximately 10-15% of total aircraft operating costs,
of which over a third (35%-40%) are related to engine maintenance (see Figure 10). Maintenance costs
of aircraft engines therefore translate into approximately 4% of total operating cost.
FIGURE 10 ENGINE MAINTENANCE COST BREAKDOWN
Source: Ackert, S. (2011)
A number of decisions need to be made to plan maintenance interventions that optimise engine ‘time
on wing’ between shop visits, and the cost of shop visits (see Figure 11). Key factors influencing
planning are:
 Age of engine (the older the engine, the higher the rate of deterioration)
 Remaining lifetime (Flight Cycles) of Life Limited Parts in the engine
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 Actual engine performance
 Operational conditions influencing rate of wear and tear, and engine performance, for
example:
o Operating environment: Flight paths over different latitudes and regions subject the
engines to different rates of corrosion.
o Operating methods: Levels of thrust applied at take-off.
o Flight distance and profile: Shorter-haul flights result in proportionally higher flight
cycles, and therefore take-offs, in which thrust required impacts wear and tear.
FIGURE 11 TRADE-OFF BETWEEN TIME ON-WING AND SHOP VISIT COST
Source: Ackert, S. (2011)
3.2.3 Maximising aircraft availability
Unexpected events causing aircraft to be grounded (so-called ‘Aircraft on Ground’ or AOG) resulting
in flight delays or cancellations have a significant and direct impact on airline revenues and costs. An
out of service aircraft can cost an airline thousands of dollars a day. This includes lost sales; passenger
compensation; and higher cost of unscheduled maintenance.
Airlines therefore value solutions that enable their aircraft to be available to fly when needed and to
avoid the financial and reputational impact of delays and cancellations.
3.2.4 Maximising operational efficiency
Flying methods that are inefficient increase fuel consumption and costs, as well as imposing
unnecessary wear and tear on the engine which reduces its lifetime between shop visits. For example,
depending on fuel prices, a one per cent fuel saving has been estimated to save USD 250,000 per
aircraft per year.
Factors airlines need to pay attention to which influence fuel consumption include use of thrust; how
much fuel to take on-board (which influences airplane weight); as well as optimal flight paths to avoid
certain atmospheric conditions. 
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3.2.5 Managing asset value
Aircraft engines are distinguished by the fact that their ‘life’ is restored through maintenance.
Remaining lifetime is measured in terms of flight hours and cycles before the next shop visit, and is
determined by the component part that has the shortest remaining life (each engine part and module
has a defined lifetime or performance parameter).
An engine value starts at “full life” and this value reduces with engine usage based on the cost it would
take to restore component parts. The remaining ‘maintenance utility’ is assessed by keeping track of
maintenance status and when the next shop visit is due for each major engine module. Maintenance
processes enable the value and useful life of engines to be restored each time (see Figure 12). The
maintenance status of engine modules and lifetimes of LLPs need to be carefully monitored to ensure
that these remain within stringent safety as well as performance parameters.
FIGURE 12 IMPACT OF SHOP VISITS ON MAINTENANCE UTILITY OF ENGINES
Source: Ackert, S. (2011)
Because of ongoing monitoring and maintenance, the economic value of engines remains relatively
stable during a large part of their lifetime. Optimising the value of engine assets is therefore an
important consideration for airlines as these may be sold and transferred at various points over their
lifecycle.
The dynamics of engine maintenance and value optimisation means that they retain their value
(depreciate less) over the lifetime of the aircraft compared to the airframe they are powering (see
Figure 13). Therefore as an aircraft matures, the engines become the most valuable asset.
FIGURE 13 ASSET VALUE OVER THE AIRCRAFT LIFETIME
Source: Ackert, S. (2011)
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For mature engines approaching end of life, those that have sufficient “green time” (remaining life,
expressed in terms of flight cycles) can be traded and are attractive to airlines planning to retire their
aircraft. If these operators have engines requiring a shop visit, they may wish to buy a green time
engine for that remaining period instead, rather than incurring the cost and disruption of an engine
overhaul.
Engines that have reached the end of their flight hours (have no green time remaining) will be traded
and purchased for the value of those modules and parts within the engine that still have “life” within
them and can be reused to maintain engines that are still in service. Used parts that can be can be
restored and reused are referred to as ‘used serviceable materials’.
3.2.6 Customer requirements over the engine lifecycle
As described above, there are a number of decisions and processes needed to ensure that engines
perform as required and that as much value as possible is delivered by the asset. Factors influencing
these will vary and change over the operating lifetime of the engine, and therefore so will the key
priorities of the airline operator.
Table 1 and Table 2 below respectively illustrate typical characteristics of an engine lifecycle; and
corresponding aircraft operator priorities and risks over those lifecycle phases.
TABLE 1 CHARACTERISTICS OF ENGINE FLEETS OVER THEIR LIFECYCLE
Phase 1 (“Sunrise”) Phase 2 (“Mature”) Phase 3 (“Sunset”)
Characteristics
of engine
lifecycle phase
From Entry Into Service
(EIS) of the engine until
production ceases –
typically a period of 6-
10 years depending on
the model.
The majority of
engines have yet to
have their first
performance
restoration through a
Shop Visit. The value
of young and popular
engines can remain
close to original
market value and list
price after
maintenance.
When production of the
engine model ceases, the
programme lifecycle enters
a “maturing” phase,
covering the period
approximately 6-20 years
after EIS. By this point
most engines across the
aircraft fleet are
characterised by:
• Relative stability in
engine values and an
increase in the trading
of engines (e.g. transfer
between aircraft
operators/owners).
• Stable rate of
performance
restorations through
Shop Visits.
• Increasing importance
of maintenance status
of the engine, which
determines the degree
of “life” left in the
engine before its next
Shop Visit.
Aircraft models carrying
the engine start being
withdrawn from service.
Key aspects of this phase
are:
• Increase in supply of
engines after their
aircraft have been
retired.
• The value of an engine
approximates the cost
of overhauling it.
• Engines in aircraft
fleet are traded and
valued on the basis of
remaining
maintenance “green
time”.
Source: R2Pi Project analysis
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TABLE 2 AIRLINE CUSTOMER PRIORITIES AND RISKS OVER THE ENGINE LIFECYCLE
Phase 1 (“Sunrise”) Phase 2 (“Mature”) Phase 3 (“Sunset”)
Airline
operator
priorities
 Maximising time on
wing and return on
investment before
first shop visit.
 Planning timing and
workscope of shop visits
to optimise time on-wing
and shop visit costs.
 Potential sale and
transfer of engine to new
owner (e.g. as part of
aircraft fleet renewal).
 Matching remaining
operating life of the
engine in line with time
horizon of aircraft
retirement.
 Minimising/ avoiding
unnecessary
maintenance costs and
realising maximum
remaining asset value.
 Maximum aircraft availability
 Operational efficiency of flights and overall fleet
Risks and
uncertainties
 Uncertainty over
maintenance costs
and requirements
 Uncertainty of timing
of first shop visit for
new models.
 Teething problems of
new models with
new technologies
may require
unforeseen shop
visits, costs, and
disruption to rectify.
 Rates of engine wear and
tear depending on
operating environment
conditions (e.g.
geographic regions) and
severity of aircraft
operation (e.g. thrust
rating; intensity of use;
flight distances).
 Inflation and volatility of
maintenance costs
(labour and parts)
 Leaving too much
unused value (life)
within the engine prior
to retirement.
 Increasing supply of
engines in the market
with remaining ‘green
time’ (from
decommissioned
aircraft) influences
resale value of engines.
 Timing of aircraft
retirement.
 Unforeseen events resulting in AOG and requiring costly maintenance.
 Aircraft is grounded requiring major repair to engine, but no capabilities exist
locally to do so.
Source: R2Pi Project analysis
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3.3 Value proposition
3.3.1 Historical perspective – before TotalCare
Up to the 1990s, Rolls-Royce traditionally generated revenues from the aftermarket (after an engine
was sold to a customer) by selling spare parts and dealing with distressed repairs. A lot of the support
and maintenance for aircraft was licensed out to third parties.
As discussed above, airlines undertaking their own engine maintenance activities(either through their
own MRO capabilities or third party MRO service providers), need to plan regular interventions to
keep engines running well and safely. Planned maintenance therefore offered one avenue for RollsRoyce aftermarket revenues. Airlines also have to deal with unplanned maintenance events when
something goes wrong or there is an unexpected decline in engine performance. Rolls-Royce would
originally also support airlines in servicing unplanned maintenance events – providing a so-called
‘break-fix’ service. In either planned or unplanned maintenance scenarios, Rolls-Royce services were
charged on a time-and-materials basis: customers paid for parts and labour costs (with price including
a profit margin for Rolls-Royce).
Rolls-Royce therefore profited from each maintenance event (whether planned or unplanned). While
this time-and-materials model addressed the specific and immediate maintenance needs of
customers, it did not address the wider set of challenges and issues that airline customers had to deal
with (explained in detail above). In particular, it did not align incentives towards the desired customer
outcome: keeping engines on-wing for as long as possible; performing as well as possible; avoiding
unplanned events; and at a predictable total lifetime cost.
This traditional model wasn’t satisfactory for Rolls-Royce either. Aftermarket revenues were
correspondingly unpredictable, and neither was it delivering nor capturing the full value Rolls-Royce’s
technology, knowledge, and capabilities could bring to solving customer problems.
3.3.2 Origins of TotalCare
Breakthroughs occurred in the 1990s when Rolls-Royce responded to customer needs and created a
new model that aligned these incentives, becoming the basis for TotalCare. The integration of engine
sale and aftermarket services into a lifecycle contract originated from Rolls-Royce’s response to
customers such as Cathay Pacific and American Airlines, creating the precursor for what later became
TotalCare.
A key innovation underlying the TotalCare model was addressing the unpredictable timing and cost of
engine overhauls and maintenance faced by airlines by integrating these into a service package that
was charged at an agreed cost per engine flight hour (EFH) – referred to as‘$/EHF’. Under thisrevenue
model – also referred to as ‘Power By the Hour’ (PBH) – Rolls-Royce is paid a given rate for each hour
which the engine is being utilised to power an aircraft. When the engine is not able to be utilised (e.g.
if it isn’t working or is being maintained), the airline does not pay Rolls-Royce.
This innovation effectively turned the physical engine into the equivalent of using a service. It also
perfectly alignsincentives between Rolls-Royce and its customer: when the engine performssuch that
the airline generates revenues from a flight, Rolls-Royce gets paid. If the engine is not being utilised
or cannot power the aircraft when needed, the airline doesn’t incur the PBH cost and Rolls-Royce isn’t
paid. It is Rolls-Royce’sresponsibility to deliver and optimise all the MRO processes and costs enabling
engines to be utilised as much as possible.
This ‘servitised’ or ‘product-service’ innovation subsequently evolved into the broader package of
TotalCare services which still retain the PBH revenue model that aligns incentives. Since its
introduction in the mid-1990s, the TotalCare aftermarket service model has successfully been taken
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up by customers and virtually all Rolls-Royce Trent engines are now covered underthis package. Figure
14 below illustrates the growth trajectory of TotalCare since its beginnings.
FIGURE 14 GROWTH OF TOTALCARE
Source: Rolls-Royce plc (2017) – Rolls-Royce Services – Pioneering Care for the widebody market
The TotalCare value proposition is described in more detail in the sections below. As will be explained,
TotalCare itself hasinnovated and evolved following changing customer needs and requirements over
the course of an engine lifecycle (referred to in Section 3.2.6 above). Whereas the first iteration of
TotalCare was focused on a new engine deal and the early phase of the engine lifecycle, Rolls-Royce
has created variations of this value proposition that meet customer needs as the engines mature and
later approach their end of life.
The historical evolution of Rolls-Royce’s aftermarket services is illustrated in Figure 15 below. This
shows how the company moved from being mainly focused on manufacturing (OEM-focus) and later
providing services on a time-and-materials basis, to then innovating the PBH-based service and
subsequently the suite of TotalCare servicesit now offers. Furthermore, many aspects of Rolls-Royce’s
business model have changed and continue to evolve to enable the TotalCare value proposition, as
will be described in later sections.
FIGURE 15 EVOLUTION OF ROLLS-ROYCE SERVICES
Source: Morris, B. (2014). Rolls-Royce plc.
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3.3.3 The engine product
Before describing the specifics of the TotalCare value proposition, it is important to consider the
engine product itself which lies at the centre of Rolls-Royce’s value proposition.
The jet engines which are part of the TotalCare model being discussed in this case study are for
widebody aircraft used in civil aviation. Examples include the Rolls-Royce models Trent 700 (used on
the Airbus A330); Trent 1000 (used on the Boeing 787); the Trent XWB (forthe Airbus A350). The Trent
7000 is the most recent model entering into service, powering the A330neo aircraft.
Engine characteristics are an important context for understanding the customer needs and service
requirements arising around them. Widebody aircraft engines are high value, high-technology, longlife products, operating in challenging environments. The core value of jet engines to airline operators
is delivering high power performance, fuel efficiency (a key operating cost for airlines), and missioncritical reliability and safety. Section 3.2 above described the customer perspective and implications
this has in terms of complex MRO processes needed to keep engines performing as required. 
From Rolls-Royce’s perspective, the aircraft engine manufacturing business is characterised by a very
long business cycle of up to forty years spanning development phase, production phase, and product
lifetime. Importantly, engine development costs are very high (typically over USD 1bn) and require a
reliable source of revenue to fund the development of each new generation, as well as ways ofsharing
risks over the lifetime of the engine programme.
TABLE 3 KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF ROLLS-ROYCE WIDEBODY ENGINES
Key characteristic Description
High value products
Engine price excl. TotalCare ~ USD 15-20 million (1)
(~ 10% of aircraft cost)
Engine price incl. TotalCare ~ USD >40 million (1)
Complex products
Complexity: A typical jet engine contains 10,000 parts.
Product lifecycle: Most of the high-value parts will need to be replaced up to four times over an engine’s
lifetime due to wear and tear and specified limited lifetimes.
Material characteristics – High value and rare materials and alloys are used in Rolls-Royce engines including:
hafnium, rhenium, tantalum and titanium. Engines also use large quantities of high-grade steel and aluminium
and, increasingly, composite materials.
Long product business cycle
Product development time – Typical timeframe for developing and
commercialising a new engine model prior to Entry into Service (EIS)
3-5 years
Production lifetime – Typical period over which the engine is being
manufactured and offered to the market
10-15 years
Product lifetime – Typical lifetime of the engine in use by airline. 20-25 years
High development cost
Programme development (R&D) cost ~ USD 1 billion
(1) Figures are for the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engine. Estimated values have been sourced from multiple press
releases of Rolls-Royce engine deals.
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Each new generation of Rolls-Royce Trent engine pushes the boundaries of performance including
areas with direct environmental benefits. They incorporate increasingly sophisticated electronic
controls and health monitoring systems, as well as providing increasingly better fuel efficiency and
environmental performance (noise levels; carbon emissions; and pollutant emissions such as NOx and
SOx). These are particularly important considerations for airline operators who are under pressure to
manage carbon emissions from both a reputational as well as regulatory perspective (e.g. via the EU
ETS carbon trading scheme). Fuel efficiency can also have a significant impact on operating costs.
Figure 16 and Figure 17 demonstrate past performance improvements, as well as future performance
developments planned for Trent engines.
FIGURE 16 ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT OF TRENT ENGINE GENERATIONS
Source: Koyama, D. (2016). Better power for a changing world, Rolls-Royce plc
FIGURE 17 FUTURE PRODUCT EVOLUTION
Source: Rolls-Royce plc (2016) – Pioneering a Better World – Integrating sustainability into design
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The high stakes and high costs of each engine development programme highlight the importance to
Rolls-Royce of having a business model that can fund and support this. The growth of reliable
TotalCare revenues has been critical to enabling this.
3.3.4 The TotalCare value proposition
From its origins in the 1990s (described above), Rolls-Royce’s aftermarket services have evolved into
a comprehensive suite of services, outlined in Figure 18 below. TotalCare has three key variants which
correspond to evolving needs of airline operators over the lifetime of their engines and are explained
in detail below. Rolls-Royce also offers additional services which leverage the capabilities, technology
and business model underlying TotalCare (however these are not the focus for this case study).
FIGURE 18 ROLLS-ROYCE TOTALCARE AND AFTERMARKET SERVICES PORTFOLIO
Source: Rolls-Royce plc (2017) – Rolls-Royce Services – Pioneering Care for the widebody market
3.3.5 TotalCare Term
TotalCare Term is the original package offered by Rolls-Royce, in which the customer signs up for
coverage over a fixed term, paying a fixed fee per engine flight hour ($/EFH) rate. The customer only
pays for the shop visits expected to occur during the length of the agreement. This is calculated based
on the number of shop visits required over the given period and other maintenance related costs,
divided by the estimated number of flight hours. Dividing the cost ofshop visits by engine flying hours
across a set period is effectively a way of amortising the refurbishment element of the TotalCare
service.
From a longer lifecycle perspective, a challenge with TotalCare Term is that later overhauls beyond
the contract term are not planned into the cost and revenue model, and there is no guarantee of what
condition the engine will be in at end of contract. This means that if the contract term ends midway
between shop visits, the customer will not have made any contribution towards the engine life used
since the lastshop visit. This enables a lower $/EFH rate, but the consequence is either a higher $/EFH
if the contract is extended, or that the engine re-sale value may be lower as the next owner will need
to take into account additional maintenance needed.
Despite the uncertainty over engine condition and value at end of contract, some airline operators
still choose this package as it offers the lowest rate per flight hour.
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3.3.6 TotalCare Life
In 2007, Rolls-Royce launched TotalCare Life. As with TotalCare Term, the service is designed for
engines starting at the early stage of their lifecycle. Assuch, maintenance and shop visits are designed
to maximise time on wing, producing the most efficient outcome for operators over the long term.
TotalCare Life has three important difference to the TotalCare Term offering. Firstly, there is no end
date to the contract, which continues for as long as the customer wishes.
Another important difference is that the portion of the power by the hour $/EFH rate determined by
maintenance visits is calculated by dividing the cost of the shop visit by the number of flying hours
between shop visits – essentially calculating this on a pro-rata basis. This reflects the true cost of
engine maintenance throughout the period of operation. So if a customer wishes midway between
overhauls to sell their aircraft to another operator, the seller’s contributions already made towards
the next overhaul are transferred to the buyer (if they also choose TotalCare this will be seamlessly
integrated into their contract). The next owner of the asset does not incur costs of maintenance for
which it has not received the benefit of utilising the engine. This arrangement is therefore designed
to be ‘portable’ from one asset owner or operator to the next, and the Rolls-Royce customer is able
to sell the engine for a higher price.
The advantages offered by the above arrangements are matched by a $/EFH rate that is typically
higher than for TotalCare Term.
3.3.7 TotalCare Flex
In 2015, Rolls-Royce launched TotalCare Flex for one of its original TotalCare customers, Cathay Pacific.
At that time, Cathay’s Trent-powered 777 fleet averaged about 16 years of age, including five aircraft
that had been in service for more than 20 years.
TotalCare Flex is primarily designed for those engines in the mature phase of the lifecycle with up to
5 years or so of remaining life.. This can include customers who have completed their TotalCare Term
contract, but who wish to continue with a service package adapted to that stage of the lifecycle. It can
be suited to customers who:
 Hold engines whose remaining lives may be shorter than what a full overhaul provides (i.e.
an overhaul would put too much life back into the engine);
 May be interested in offloading the engine before its newly overhauled useful life runs out;
 Are acquiring older aircraft that will stay in their fleet until the end of their useful life.
Under this package, engines are managed to the end of their operating life in a planned manner, with
engine support and shop visits tailored to only provide the life on wing needed over that time horizon.
TotalCare Flex uses cost-saving strategies to broaden its support options for older engines, for
example:
 Repairing and restoring engine modules only to the extent needed.
 Using spare parts recovered and sourced from other engines that are disassembled and
cannibalised for parts. This includes Life Limited Parts that still have sufficient flight cycles
(called ‘stub life’) remaining in them.
 Swapping with ‘green time’ engines (which Rolls-Royce acquires from other customers).
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As this arrangement is within the TotalCare framework, it gives customers certainty over the quality
of parts, engines and maintenance standards. It reducesthe ongoing cost of maintenance and releases
maximum asset value through to end of life (not leaving any “money on the table”).
3.3.8 Extending the range of services and support offered
In addition to MRO services, Rolls-Royce has innovated and expanded the TotalCare offering to
incorporate a range of additional options and services. These recognise that, while TotalCare’s MRO
services address the 4% of airline operating costs relating to maintenance, Rolls-Royce’s engines have
a much broader impact on value to an airline (as explained in Section 3.2.1).
Through the expanded offering, the TotalCare value proposition is targeting key customer needs,
namely: ensuring the aircraft is always ready and available to fly when needed; that it is flying
efficiently and routing is optimised; and that engine assets are managed effectively to maximise value.
Additional TotalCare services are typically charged within the Power by the Hour (PBH) framework,
and so remain aligned with its overall philosophy of aligning incentives. One of the reasons Rolls-Royce
is able to develop and deliver these services and offer them through the TotalCare model is the
intimate knowledge it has of its own engines and how they perform throughout their lifetime
(obtained via engine health monitoring and MRO services). Through this, Rolls-Royce is able to offer
customers support and services for better operational decision-making and efficiency.
TotalCare service options available depend on the type of TotalCare package (e.g. Term, Life or Flex),
and correspond to six categories of value to customers:
 Maintenance service and cost management
 Improving aircraft availability
 Improving efficiency
 Facilitating transition of engines between owners
 Engine asset management
 Customer support solutions
Figure 19 below shows the range of TotalCare services and options offered for the portfolio of value 
propositions under TotalCare and other packages.
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FIGURE 19 RANGE OF TOTALCARE SERVICES OFFERED
Source: Rolls-Royce CareStore Services – Airline (downloaded August 2018)
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3.3.9 Summary of value created by TotalCare
As discussed in Section 3.2 and summarised in Table 2 of that section, airlines face a number of risks
and uncertainties in managing and operating their engine assets, with knock-on consequences for
their operating costs and aircraft performance.
The fundamental philosophy behind TotalCare – from its originsthrough to today – isthe value created
by transferring this risk from the airlines to Rolls-Royce within a revenue model that charges per
engine flight hour. The value generated for airline operators from this model are:
 Predictability of MRO-related costs over engine lifetime, through a simple and wellunderstood charging mechanism
 Higher operational efficiency (including fuel costs)
 Avoided disruptions, avoiding associated costs and improving quality of service
 Higher value of engine asset (facilitating sale and transitions)
 Focus of own resources on core business
Rolls-Royce is able to take on this risk due to its intimate knowledge of the engine technology and
performance in-use. As will be seen in the following sections, Rolls-Royce has developed a business
model that effectively manages these risks and delivers the TotalCare value proposition service in a
reliable and efficient way. In return, Rolls-Royce has been able to create an attractive source of
predictable, recurring revenues for delivering TotalCare and, importantly, to reinvest in new
generations of better-performing engines as well as continuous service innovations.
FIGURE 20 SCOPE OF VALUE DELIVERED BY TOTALCARE AGAINST AIRLINE VALUE AT STAKE
Source: Adapted from Rolls-Royce plc (2017) – Rolls-Royce Services – Pioneering Care for the
widebody market
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3.4 Channels
3.4.1 Direct customer sales
TotalCare is offered to customers at the point of sale when airlines (or leasing companies) are
considering the purchase of engines as part of a broader aircraft procurement deal. Rolls-Royce sales
teams will negotiate deals directly with the customer. Virtually all Trent engines are sold with a longterm TotalCare agreement attached.
3.4.2 CareStore
Rolls-Royce established the CareStore as a way of raising customer awareness of the wide range of
services and options they can procure as part of a TotalCare package. The CareStore website (Figure 
21) identifies what options are available for each of the different types of TotalCare packages (e.g.
Life, Term, Flex, Select Care, Foundation Services, etc.).
FIGURE 21 CARESTORE WEB SITE
Source: Rolls-Royce website (accessed August 2018)
TotalCare services and options are organised based on key solutions customers may be looking for,
namely:
 Maintenance service and cost management
 Improving aircraft availability
 Improving efficiency
 Facilitating transition of engines between owners
 Engine asset management
 Customer support solutions
By structuring the key elements of the TotalCare value proposition in the CareStore, this enables
informed discussions between Rolls-Royce’s sales and account management teams, and customers.
As Rolls-Royce creates new services and options, these will be continually added and communicated
to customers via the CareStore. Figure 19 above shows the current range of services offered.
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3.4.3 Airframe OEMs
Airframe manufacturers are increasingly becoming an important channel to market for Rolls-Royce
with the emergence of exclusive joint development of engine programmes. For example, Airbus has
an agreement with Rolls-Royce whereby the company developed the Trent 7000 engine exclusively
for the A330neo.
This commercial arrangement is made to reduce overall development costs and increase speed to
market through tighter integration and collaboration. Rather than multiple OEMs investing in R&D
and having to recoup this through sales (because each jet engine model is designed and developed for
a specific aircraft model), an exclusive arrangement reduces overall supply chain development costs
and enables a more cost-effective procurement deal for the buyer.
Under this type of arrangement, the airframe manufacturer becomes an exclusive channel for RollsRoyce engines, from which Rolls-Royce is able to up-sell TotalCare services.
3.5 Customer relationships
Rolls-Royce has deep, long-lasting relationships with airlines. The insight into customer needs and
openness to co-innovate which this has created was a key factor in the original development of the
TotalCare value proposition.
Under the traditional ‘time-and-materials’ model, prior to introduction of TotalCare, Rolls-Royce’s
customer relationships would have been relatively transactional. These would have focused mainly on
the engine sale deal and contracts for spare parts, as well as provision of planned or reactive (‘breakfix’) MRO services.
TotalCare has instead established a partnership-style relationship, where the success of the airline’s
operational performance is a mutual interest. The power-by-the-hour (PBH) arrangement and
increasing focus of TotalCare contracts on ensuring aircraft availability (i.e. the aircraft is there to take
off at the required time and location) has aligned Rolls-Royce’s business model with that of its
customers.
In addition, the range of TotalCare services – in particular those based on the digitisation of engine
performance tracking and data management – is further deepening Rolls-Royce’s relationship with
customers. This is enabling Rolls-Royce to, for example, offer consultative value-added services such
as optimisation of in-flight operations and routing. 
In terms of day-to-day service operations, Rolls-Royce has established a network of Customer Service
Centres(CSC) around the world covering key regions and timezones. These are on hand to addressthe
full range of issues which customers may encounter, such as managing urgent operational situations
or drawing on other TotalCare services. The improved quality of customer service which CSCs were
designed to deliver has been demonstrated by the Singapore CSC reducing response times to
customers by 75% in its first year of operation.
“Being based in Singapore has enabled our customer service team to react and provide solutions
for customers in their own time zone. Deploying engineering support within hours when it’s
required and working round the clock with our team in the UK means customers are seeing up to
18 hours of continual service. It’s helped us to strengthen our customer relationships and
develop a greater understanding of their needs.”
Ewen McDonald, Senior Vice President
– Customers – Asia-Pacific, Rolls-Royce
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"Rolls-Royce is committed to delivering excellence in our services, really caring for our customers,
understanding their needs better, and being ever more responsive. Today is the beginning of a
global journey to get closer to our customers and to do more work in the regions where they
operate."
Dominic Horwood, Chief Customer Officer
Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace
Source: Rolls-Royce press release
3.6 Revenue streams
The TotalCare model drives recurring revenues primarily by charging customers on the basis of hours
flown by each engine it serves. Over the lifetime of a typical engine programme, this translates into a
volume of revenues which is approximately four times as large as that of the initial engine (original
equipment) sale, as shown below.
FIGURE 22 ILLUSTRATION OF ENGINE AND SERVICE REVENUES OVER A TYPICAL ENGINE PROGRAMME 
LIFEYCLE
Source: Wood, T. (2014) Rolls Royce plc
3.6.1 Engine sales
Engine sales are the foundation of Rolls-Royce’s TotalCare aftermarket services. Rolls-Royce engine
sales contracts are often at-cost when they are sold together with a TotalCare package. Factors
influencing engine pricing are:
 Recovering R&D costs of the engine programme
 Covering manufacturing costs
 Factors relevant to negotiation of an overall deal incorporating TotalCare services
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3.6.2 Service revenue: Power-by-the-hour
One of the hallmarks of TotalCare is the revenue model whereby Rolls-Royce charges customers and
receives predicable recurring revenues based on the utilisation of its engines, measured in terms of
engine flight hours (EFH). This is scaled across the entire Rolls-Royce engine fleet operating under
Power by the Hour (PBH) contracts. TotalCare revenues are therefore driven by total EFH, and the rate
per hour charged:
TotalCare lifecycle revenue = [EFH] x [rate per hour]
Total hours flown across Rolls-Royce’s engine fleet is itself driven by:
 Global growth in engine fleet size under TotalCare contract.
 Engine utilisation and uptime, translating into total hours flown per engine (on average, an
engine flies approximately 4,000 hours per year).
The rate per flying hour can vary based on TotalCare service type and customer service level (e.g.
TotalCare Life / Term / Flex). The range of add-on services available through the CareStore are
generally incorporated into PBH arrangements.
3.7 Key resources
3.7.1 Engine fleet
Rolls-Royce’s fleet of engines in service are the key asset that drive TotalCare service revenues.
Well-functioning engines provide recurring revenue through Rolls-Royce’s power-by-the-hour (PBH)
revenue model, with additional revenue from value added services that may be purchased by airline
operators.
Rolls-Royce has multiple generations of engine currently in service, being used by airlines across the
world. Viewed in aggregate, each generation (or engine programme) has a particular spread of age
across engines in service – from those that first entered into service with initial customers, to those
that are being manufactured and sold today. Even after production has ceased, as long as engines are
under TotalCare contract, Rolls-Royce will be responsible for servicing them and they will generate
service revenues for the company. The profile of Rolls-Royce Trent model engine generations since
Entry Into Service are shown in Figure 23.
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FIGURE 23 ROLLS-ROYCE ENGINES AND STAGE OF LIFECYCLE
Source: Rolls-Royce plc (2017) – Rolls-Royce Services – Pioneering Care for the widebody market
Furthermore, as TotalCare enables Rolls-Royce to have thorough knowledge of and access to its
engines throughout their lifetime, engine assets at end-of-life can be a source of value for Rolls-Royce
through buy-back and re-use of ‘green time’ engines or their component parts (as used serviceable
materials for other engines). This is explained in further detail below.
Figure 24 shows the relative volume of Trent engines in service based on age of aircraft using them.
Thisshowssome engine programmesspanning long periods of time,such asthe Trent 700 programme
which is powering newly manufactured aircraft as well as airplanes that are over 15 years old. Overall,
the balance of Rolls-Royce’s engine fleet age is relatively young, but increasingly maturing.
FIGURE 24 AGE OF AIRCRAFT IN OPERATION UTILISING DIFFERENT ROLLS-ROYCE ENGINES
Source: Rolls-Royce plc Annual Report 2017 Fact Sheet
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The implications for Rolls-Royce with regards their engine fleet volume and age profile are that:
 The volume of relatively young engines will be a strong driver of revenue growth and profit
(as they generally require little maintenance in their early lifetime).
 Airlines coming to the end of a TotalCare Term contract may be looking to extend it, which
will require a review of expected service requirements and pricing (such as extending to
another fixed term, or moving to a TotalCare Flex package).
 Airlines with mature aircraft and engines may seek to sell these on to a new owner (or, if
leased, they may transition to a new operator), which will require managing the transition of
asset value between owners or operators, based on the maintenance status and remaining
‘life’ of the engine and its components.
BOX 1 END-OF-LIFE MANAGEMENT OF ENGINE ASSETS, PARTS AND MATERIALS
Mature engines that are approaching the end of their operational life but still have sufficient flight
hours remaining (called “green time”) can be traded and transferred to airlines who need to
continue powering older aircraft but don’t wish to incur the cost and disruption of overhauling
existing engines. Rolls-Royce is able to purchase these green time engines from the market and redeploy them as a cost-effective option under TotalCare Flex contracts. It is especially advantageous
if those engines were already under a TotalCare contract as Rolls-Royce will have the full set of
information on their maintenance status and history, which minimises risk and optimises value. 
When a mature engine has used up its operating life as an asset (and there is no desire to overhaul
it), parts and materials can be used by Rolls-Royce. Once again, if those engines were under
TotalCare contract, Rolls-Royce has the advantage of fully understand their maintenance history so
that maximum value can be extracted: re-using parts considered to be Serviceable Used Material
(SUM). These will be serviced and re-deployed through parts supply across the CareNetwork of
maintenance shops.
TotalCare also enables assurance of ‘chain of custody’ so that materials can be recovered and
recycled back into manufacturing. This is important because such materials are ‘aerospace-grade’
and segregating them from other sources of scrap enables them to be re-used – otherwise they
would effectively be ‘downcycled’. Such materials will be re-used in Rolls-Royce’s supply chain
through its Revert programme (see below for details).
Almost 95% of a used aero engine can now be recycled and around half of the recovered material
is of such high quality it can be safely used again to make a new engine. Reasons for materials not
being recycled include when these utilise composites (such as new fan blades) and recycling
processes have not yet been developed. Thisis an area for improvement that Rolls-Royce is actively
investigating.
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3.7.2 Engine performance data
The monitoring of engine performance data has been an important element of Rolls-Royce’s TotalCare
model for many years through Engine Health Monitoring (EHM). Each new generation of engine
includes new and more sophisticated sensors and monitoring capabilities. What used to previously be
several gigabytes of data per engine flight hour is now orders of magnitude greater: each flight hour
typically generates several terabytes of data which can be uploaded to Rolls-Royce systems (either
remotely while the aircraft is flying or after landing). Rolls-Royce has access to this data subject to
contractual arrangements with the airline customer.
Engine flight data is used by Rolls-Royce to provide value added servicesto customers,such asin-flight
diagnostics and issue resolution, as well as broader advice on optimisation of flight operations and
routing.
But in addition to this, data generated across Rolls-Royce’s entire fleet of engines is a unique asset 
which enables Rolls-Royce to continuously manage and improve the efficiency and quality of its 
TotalCare service operations, and also feeds back into the design of new generations of engines (this 
is illustrated in Figure 25 below). 
FIGURE 25 DATA ENABLES POSITIVE FEEDBACK LOOP BACK TO ENGINE AND SERVICE DESIGN
Source: Wood, T. (2014) Rolls Royce plc
Data from engine health monitoring, but also data and knowledge collected from its TotalCare service
operations provides Rolls-Royce with a unique advantage in ensuring that the TotalCare value
proposition remains relevant and competitive. The value drivers of data to Rolls-Royce and its
customers are outlined below.
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TABLE 4 VALUE DRIVERS OF DATA
Value driver of data Description
Operational efficiency
and cost management
 Maximising the time on-wing of engines between shop visits,
thereby keep them flying (and generating revenues for Rolls-Royce
and its customer) as long as possible
 Optimising the workscope of shop visits to avoid unnecessary costs
 Optimising Rolls-Royce’s overall MRO network operations through
forecasting and planning of maintenance events and labour and
materials/parts.
Optimising and
maximising the value of
the engine asset
Engines under TotalCare have a higher residual value.
Improving engine designs
and technology
 Keeping them at the cutting edge of performance requirements
valued by customers (including fuel efficiency and environmental
performance)
 Building in further digital capabilities that can driver additional
value-added services as well as efficiencies for maintenance.
3.7.3 Global CareNetwork
When an engine needs to go off-wing for servicing, it will go to a maintenance shop specified in the
customer’s TotalCare contract. Rolls-Royce’s aftermarket services network comprises a mix of whollyowned, joint venture, and customer-owned or independent MRO shops, now standing at about 20
centres around the world, as shown in Figure 26 below. Any TotalCare work required will generally be
directed to the appropriate centre within this network. Third party centres in the CareNetwork are
not necessarily exclusively dedicated to serving Rolls-Royce engines, and may also provide MRO
services to competitor engines.
FIGURE 26 ROLLS-ROYCE GLOBAL CARENETWORK
Source: Rolls-Royce plc (2017) – Rolls-Royce Services – Pioneering Care for the widebody market
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Within the CareNetwork, there are centres that specialise in certain complex types of repair, or in
rarer types of repair interventions where it makes sense to achieve scale economies by centralising
expertise and capabilities.
3.7.4 Customer Service and Relationship Network
Regional Customer Service Centres 
Rolls-Royce has established a network of Customer Service Centres (CSC) around the world covering
key regions and timezones. These are on hand to addressthe full range of issues which customers may
encounter, such as managing urgent operational situations or drawing on other TotalCare services.
Customer Service Centres coordinate operational planning and have engineering capabilities to be
able to deliver services to customers, including data services. The centres have local decision-making
authority and are connected to the Rolls-Royce Airline Aircraft Availability Centre (see below) in
Derby, which tracks engine data and provides engineering expertise worldwide. The regional
Customer Service Centres also act as hubs for the Rolls-Royce Airline Support Teams which are based
in major airport locations across regions.
Originally, customerservice activities were centralised in Rolls-Royce’s UK Derby centre. However with
the growing number of Rolls-Royce engines flying around the world and within regions, the company
decided that it needed to be closer to its customers. The first CSC was opened in Singapore in 2015,
serving customers in Asia. This was followed by CSCs serving the Americas, Greater China, and the
Middle East and Africa regions.
In addition to regional and local service delivery functions, Customer Support Centres also support
sales campaigns and lead customer account management. This includes supporting Rolls-Royce’s five
Customer Regional Teams serving Asia Pacific, Americas, Europe, Greater China, and Middle East and
Africa.
Airline Aircraft Availability Centre 
In 2017 Rolls-Royce established the Airline Aircraft Availability Centre, in Derby (UK). Thisisthe central
global planning function for Rolls-Royce engine operations and maintenance, ensuring aircraft under
TotalCare are available for service 24/7, with the right parts and expertise available. Preceding the
Aircraft Availability Centre, Rolls-Royce had established in 2004 the Operations Centre in Derby which
provided central coordination of TotalCare.
The Airline Aircraft Availability Centre is effectively the ‘nerve centre’ of TotalCare operations globally:
receiving, monitoring, and making decisions based on the data received from engine health
monitoring. It complements and provides expertise to Rolls-Royce’s global network of Customer
Service Centres who work locally with customers.
In addition, the Aircraft Availability Centre is at the forefront of Rolls-Royce’s digitalstrategy for valueadded engine services:
 Data analysis and decision support (Rolls-Royce’s so-called “IntelligentEngine” concept),
combining analysis of data from Rolls-Royce engines with data from customers and partners
to enable improvements in aircraft availability and fuel efficiency – thus improving airline
economics.
 Acting as a hub for the introduction of new technologies. For example, a new real-time
collaboration system lets engineers working on engines around the world share live pictures
from inside an engine with the team at the Centre, and receive their advice on the next steps
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to take. It is envisaged that, in the future, “remote surgery” techniques will let experts at the
Centre carry out complex engineering tasks on the engine by remote control.
“We are entering a new era of digital connectivity and new services technology which allows us
to greatly expand the type of services we can offer, with aircraft availability a key objective. As
the industry services innovator, our Airline Aircraft Availability Centre incorporates the advances
of today and tomorrow to support our vision of every Rolls-Royce powered aircraft taking off and
landing on time, every time.”
Tom Palmer, Senior Vice President – Services,
Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace
Source: Rolls-Royce press release
3.8 Key activities
3.8.1 MRO services
MRO services are a key activity of the TotalCare business model – these are the aftermarket services
Rolls-Royce provides through its value proposition and power-by-the-hour revenue model. These are
provided through Rolls-Royce’s CareNetwork, described above.
As described in Section 3.2, MRO processes require sophisticated planning and decision-making to
ensure that maintenance interventions optimise safety, performance, and financial considerations.
3.8.2 Digital analytics and value-added service
Planning and decision-making based on engine health monitoring has been an important part of
TotalCare for many years. About 15 years ago, engines had relatively few sensors. However today
engines have many sensors generating thousands of signals. It is estimated that Rolls-Royce will soon
receive more than 70 trillion data points from its in-service fleet each year. Large aircraft fleets
generate terabytes of data, with gigabytes generated per hour. Data management and analysis is
therefore a key activity for delivering effective and efficient TotalCare services.
“There’s no lack of data in our market today. We and our customers are drowning in data, and
many existing systems struggle to filter the signal from the noise and offer the means to analyse
things in a consistent way. Our heritage and focus have been intelligent systems linked to
engineering knowledge and designed to provide high-quality information and insight. Digital
technology and analytical insight deliver a real, sustainable advantage in the services we
provide,”
Nick Farrant, Senior Vice President
Rolls-Royce
Source: Rolls-Royce press release
As illustrated in Figure 27, engine data is used to inform engine maintenance requirements, and to
provide advice to pilots in flight as well as to airline fleet planners.
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FIGURE 27 ENGINE HEALTH MONITORING
Source: Palmer, T. (2015), Rolls-Royce plc
Over the years, Rolls-Royce has been developing and evolving the use of analytics from engine data
aggregated across the fleet to provide better planning of MRO services and interventions. As
illustrated in Figure 28, the trend has been to move towards optimisation of financial outcomes for the
airline based on sophisticated data analysis, while maintaining safety and quality.
FIGURE 28 EVOLUTION OF PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS
Source: Palmer, T. (2015), Rolls-Royce plc
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Rolls-Royce is now entering an era where data enables the merging of hardware and services,
powered by ‘big data’ analytics, data connectivity, and machine learning. Thisis encapsulated in RollsRoyce’s ‘IntelligentEngine’ vision (see below).
Along this journey, Rolls-Royce is ramping up the sophistication of its digital capabilities, enabling a
number of improvement such as:
 Better maintenance decisions resulting in cost reduction and performance improvement for
itself and customers.
 Better understanding of how to structure TotalCare support contracts
 Better risk management
 Informing new product design and development
In 2017, the £1 billion-plus invested by Rolls-Royce in R&D included installation of digital engineering
tools, producing the company’s first all-digital engine design.
BOX 2 ROLLS-ROYCE INTELLIGENTENGINE VISION
In addition to digitally designing, testing, and maintaining engines, the IntelligentEngine vision sets
out a future where an engine will be:
 Connected – with other engines, its support ecosystem, and with its customer, allowing for
regular, two-way flow of information between many parties
 Contextually aware – of its operating context, constraints and the needs of the customer,
allowing it to respond to the environment around it without human intervention
 Comprehending – learning from its own experiences and from its network of peersto adjust
its behaviour and achieve best performance
Rolls-Royce’s R
2 Data Labs, an acceleration hub for data innovation launched in December 2017,
will play a key role in achieving the aims of the IntelligentEngine. Using advanced data analytics,
industrial Artificial Intelligence and machine learning techniques, R
2 Data Labs develops data
applications that unlock design, manufacturing and operational efficiencies within Rolls-Royce, and
creates new service propositions for customers.
At the heart of R
2 Data Labs are Data Innovation Cells; mixed discipline teams of data experts who
work in collaboration with teams from across Rolls-Royce’s operations. These cells apply cutting
edge principles to rapidly explore data, unlock and test new ideas, and turn those ideas into new
innovation and services. R
2 Data Labs has data innovation capability hubs in the United Kingdom,
United States, Germany, Singapore, India and New Zealand.
The passage below provides Rolls-Royce’s own perspective on the importance of IntelligentEngine:
The IntelligentEngine is Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace’s vision for the future, the vision is
one where we see the world of the product and the service becoming almost
inseparable and supercharged by digital technology. We launched this vision at the
Singapore Air Show earlier this year (2018). Our airline customers operate in a highly
competitive market with a travelling public that expects to fly on time, every time, as
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efficiently as possible – so aircraft availability is vitally important to an airlines
performance and reputation.
We are in a great position to respond to that with the IntelligentEngine because we
were the first to see the linkage between the product, service and digital with the
introduction of our TotalCare services in the 1990s. This involved proactively
monitoring the health of engines, enabling us to predict when they would require
servicing, and thereby keeping them in service for longer. Now digital allows us to take
that service much further – working closely with our customers to get even greater
insight into how they operate their engines. We support this digital revolution with our
relentless investment in research and technology – £1.4bn last year across the group.
With the digital revolution blurring the boundaries between our physical products and
the services we provide, we see a future where our engines are:
1. Connected – connected to other engines and its ecosystem;
2. Contextually aware – aware of its operating environment;
3. Comprehending – able to learn from its experiences and the experiences of other
engines in the fleet.
We see a not too distant future where we design and test engines digitally,service them
remotely, and manage them through their digital twin. A future where, once again, we
are pioneering the power that matters, just like we have throughout our history.
Source: Rolls-Royce (2018b); data provided by Roll-Royce.
3.8.3 Revert Programme
The Revert programme is a collaborative recycling programme between Rolls-Royce and its material
suppliers. As part of this programme, metal removed form unserviceable engine parts is collected,
segregated by specific type of alloy, cleaned of coating and contaminants, and returned to the material
supplier for recycling.
When an engine is under TotalCare contract, this enables a continuous chain of custody assurance so
that these aerospace-grade materials and specialist alloys can be confidently re-used by meeting
stringent quality and safety requirements. TotalCare therefore provides a high level of material
stewardship across the lifetime of an asset as well as at end-of-life, thus enabling a closed loop
material system.
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3.9 Key Partners
“We are putting increased emphasis on strategic partnerships and collaborations. These
collaborations range across electronics, composite materials, gearbox technology, digital
technologies and services. We are determined to be at the forefront of the ‘next technology
revolution’ built around artificial intelligence, data analytics, machine learning and digital.”
Ian Davis, Chairman, Roll-Royce
Source: Rolls-Royce Annual Report 2017
3.9.1 MRO service partners
As discussed above, Rolls-Royce’s network of MRO service centres – the CareNetwork – is a key asset
in delivering TotalCare globally. Rolls-Royce’s CareNetwork has expanded in line with growth of its
engine fleet. While one centre is wholly-owned, three are joint ventures; and the rest are partnerships
with airlines or independent MRO providers. Some partnerships originated from engine procurement
deals where a customer already had their own in-house MRO capabilities which they wished to deploy
(e.g. Air France KLM).
Rolls-Royce’s partner strategy shifted significantly a few years ago. Originally, Rolls-Royce would take
an equity stake and limited the shares of joint enterprises. It would also give partner shops territorial
rights to serve certain regions. Now Rolls-Royce is growing the CareNetwork with members in which
Rolls-Royce has no equity stake. MRObusinessis now also shared intra-regionally among CareNetwork
members.
This partnership strategy is enabling Rolls-Royce to flexibly scale globally and at lower cost while
sharing risks as well as revenues with its partners.
TABLE 5 SELECTED ROLLS-ROYCE PARTNERSHIPS
Rolls-Royce joint ventures Example non-equity partnerships
 Hong Kong Aero Engine Services Limited
(HAESL): Joint venture with Hong Kong
Aircraft Engineering Company.
 Singapore Aero Engine Services (SAESL):
Joint venture with SIA Engineering Company
Limited.
 N3 Engine Overhaul Services (N3EOS): Joint
Venture between with Lufthansa Technik
AG (LHT) providing MRO services over the
past ten years for the Trent 500, 700, 900,
and more lately the XWB.
 AFI KLM E&M
 ANA Engine Technics Co.
 Delta Tech Ops.
 EgyptAir Maintenance & Engineering.
 Emirates Engineering
 Mubadala Abu Dhabi
 Turbine Services & Solutions
 THAI Technical
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3.9.2 Digital partners
As described above, digitisation and use of data is now core to TotalCare delivery and to Rolls-Royce’s
‘IntelligentEngine’ vision.
Since 2016 Rolls-Royce partnered with Microsoft to use a suite of applications based on the Microsoft
Azure platform to support Big Data aggregation and analysis from multiple distributed data sources at
scale (such as engine performance, technical logs, flight plans, weather data, etc.).
Rolls-Royce is now in the process of expanding the ecosystem of partners it works with in this area.
The newly-established ‘R
2 Data Labs’ within Rolls-Royce works with a variety of partners to provide IT
infrastructure and to power its analytics capabilities. This includes established players such as Tata
Consultancy Services (TCS) and Microsoft, as well as start-ups and academia.
3.9.3 Suppliers and Risk and Revenue Sharing Partners 
In a similar way to which Rolls-Royce created the business model around TotalCare to enable risktransfer from customers in exchange for recurring revenues from aftermarket services, it also
innovated a partnership model with its suppliers.
The high cost and long development time of new engine programmes (several billion dollars over
periods of up to 5 years) represents a significant risk to Rolls-Royce. This includes the ability to deliver
new generations of engine in time and within budget, meeting engine sales targets, and having the
right capabilities to repair and service engines with specialist parts in the aftermarket. Furthermore,
as with many high-tech manufacturing OEMs, companies such as Rolls-Royce typically do not
manufacture all components and sub-systems in-house, focusing instead on key areas of competence
and strategic value, and outsourcing other areas. In the case of Rolls-Royce, the majority of the engine
(over 70%) is manufactured by external suppliers.
In order to manage the above risks, Rolls-Royce has established Risk and Revenue Sharing Partnerships
(RRSPs) with key suppliers. This approach began as early as the Trent 500 engine programme.
Traditionally, suppliers were contracted by Rolls-Royce to build parts according to Rolls-Royce
specifications and were paid on delivery. In contrast, the RRSP model is an integrated and strategic
approach to outsourcing based on Rolls-Royce and suppliers working in partnership and sharing in the
costs, risks and benefits of new engine development based on how well it sells and performs over its
lifetime. Instead of being paid for producing parts, RRSP suppliers jointly invest in an engine
development programme and receive a proportional share of engine and aftermarket TotalCare sales
revenues.
Rolls-Royce RRSP suppliers include major global players in the aerospace industry such as:
 GKN – United Kingdom
 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) – Japan
 Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) – Japan
 Industria de Turbopropulsoras – Spain
 Hamilton Sundstrand – USA
Figure 29 below illustrates key Rolls-Royce suppliers contributing the development of modules and
components for the Trent XWB engine.
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FIGURE 29 RISK AND REVENUE SHARING PARTNERS FOR THE ROLLS-ROYCE TRENT XWB ENGINE
Source: A350 XWB News (2013)
3.10Cost structure
3.10.1MRO service delivery
TotalCare costs are driven by the frequency and cost of shop visits for maintenance, repair and
overhaul:
TotalCare lifecycle costs = [number of shop visits] x [cost per shop visit]
The number and frequency of shop visits will be driven by:
 The engine lifetime (time on wing) and engine age
 Intensity and pattern of usage (hours flown and the way in which the engine has been used)
The cost per shop visit is influenced by:
 Scope of work needed for visits (complex or lengthy workscopes and procedures increase
costs)
 Degree to which parts are re-used, repaired, or replaced (re-use and repair generally lowers
costs compared to using a new part)
 Labour costs
3.10.2Engine development and production costs
While not directly part of the aftermarket services model provided under TotalCare, engine
development and manufacturing costs need to be recouped and financed through the revenues
provided by TotalCare.
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While engines may be sold ‘at cost’ as part of a TotalCare package (recovering the production costs),
engine sales alone are not sufficient to cover the investment required for development of the next
generation of engines. An engine programme requires about USD 1 billion of investment with a
development cycle for a new engine generation of approximately 3-5 years.
The revenue generated by TotalCare is therefore essential for investing in each new cycle of engine
development.
As discussed above, Rolls-Royce hasinnovated a new model with suppliers – Risk and Revenue Sharing
Partnerships – as a way to manage and share the risk and rewards of engine development. TotalCare
revenues are linked to this model as suppliers get paid through aftermarket sales for their share of
investment and are rewarded based on the success of an engine programme.
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3.11The Value Network
Rolls-Royce’s value network is composed of two interrelated aspects: one is around new engine 
manufacturing; and the other is around aftermarket services once the engine has been sold and is in 
operation.
The manufacturing network is composed of Rolls-Royce’s own manufacturing operations and the 
multiple suppliers it works with including direct suppliers and higher-tier upstream suppliers. Direct 
suppliers include the Risk and Revenue Sharing Partners (RRSPs) discussed above.
The aftermarket services network is principally the operations and partners Rolls-Royce works with 
to deliver TotalCare. This includes MRO operations (repair and overhaul shops, etc.) – either owned, 
JV, or partnerships with third party organisations – making up the CareNetwork discussed above. 
This network also includes other partners fundamental to delivering today’s cutting-edge TotalCare 
services including software and ICT partners. 
Figure 30 below illustrates the flow of materials through this network. As can be seen, product and 
material re-use and cycling occurs in the following ways:
 Maintaining assets at their highest utility and maximising their lifetime: TotalCare MRO 
services provide regular maintenance and overhaul of engines which ‘restore life’ (in terms 
of remaining flight cycles until the next shop visit). Other services enabled by engine health 
monitoring also ensure that engines are functioning as efficiently as possible and avoiding 
unnecessary wear and tear.
 Engine transfers to new owners/operators: TotalCare enables engine value to be preserved 
and facilitates that transfer of engine assets mid-way through their lifecycle.
 Cycling of parts: In the mature phase of the engine lifecycle, MRO services increasingly 
incorporate the re-use of parts re-claimed from other engines that have been retired as 
‘used serviceable materials’. This substitutes the use of new manufactured parts, and also 
extracts the maximum life from parts that have defined lifetimes (Life Limited Parts).
 Cycling of engines: Where aircraft have been retired but engines still have remaining life 
(‘green time’), Rolls-Royce reclaims and re-deploys them in other aircraft as an alternative to 
repair – thus extracting the maximum value from the given engine.
 Cycling of materials: Rolls-Royce’s Revert programme enables materials from parts that are 
no longer re-used to be reclaimed and incorporated back into the supply chain 
manufacturing of new components, thus substituting the use of virgin materials (including 
rare metals and exotic alloys). The Revert programme also includes the cycling of off-cuts 
from Roll-Royce manufacturing, or upstream manufacturing of components and systems, 
back into the supply chain.
Figure 31 overlays onto the previous illustration key areas of financial value creation and transfer. 
These include:
 Service revenues principally via the TotalCare power-by-the-hour ($/EFH) charging model. 
These are in turn shared with RRSPs in the supply chain (as explained above) and 
CareNetwork MRO partners.
 Cost savings generated by re-use of parts and engines
 Cost savings passed on by suppliers receiving material recovered via the Revert programme.
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FIGURE 30 MATERIAL FLOW
Source: R2Pi Project analysis; company interviews
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FIGURE 31 KEY AREAS OF VALUE FLOW AND CREATION
Source: R2Pi Project analysis; company interviews
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3.12Business model circularity assessment
The R2Pi project has established seven key patterns of circular business model, described in Figure 
32 below. 
FIGURE 32 THE SEVEN CIRCULAR BUSINESS MODEL PATTERNS
Source: R2Pi Project 
Rolls-Royce’s TotalCare business model incorporates several of the above patterns:
 Performance. The TotalCare value proposition combines service with product as a 
‘servitised’ offering. It incorporates delivering a level of performance linked to the engine 
asset over its lifetime. TotalCare is now focused on ensuring maximum availability of aircraft 
powered by Rolls-Royce engines so that they can fly ‘on time, every time’.
 Re-condition. TotalCare includes the ongoing maintenance of engines and component parts 
over the asset lifetime, restoring ‘life’ into the asset at intervals and as required. Regular 
maintenance, repairs and overhauls (MRO) are a normal requirement of the aero engine 
sector, however through TotalCare Rolls-Royce has been able to achieve a better 
optimisation of the planning and process, enabling longer times on-wing (see below).
 Resource recovery. The TotalCare model has further enabled Rolls-Royce’s Revert 
programme for materials recovery. TotalCare provides Rolls-Royce with access to the engine 
over its lifetime while it is under its aftermarket services contract, including at the end-of-life 
when airline customers begin to retire aircraft. This allows Rolls-Royce the option to buyback and reclaim end-of-life engines so that materials can be re-cycled back into its 
manufacturing supply chain. The Revert programme also operates at the engine 
manufacturing stage, recycling any waste materials. 
The TotalCare ‘servitised’ product-service offering is therefore part of an integrated model which 
enables and enhances other circular business model patterns, as illustrated in Figure 33 below.
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FIGURE 33 CIRCLAR BUSINESS MODEL PATTERNS APPLICABLE TO ROLLS-ROYCE
Source: R2Pi Project analysis
3.13Financial outcomes assessment
3.13.1Commercial success
The TotalCare proposition has been key to transforming Rolls-Royce’s market share and reputation,
as well as its ability to invest in new generations of powerplant and technology.
Rolls-Royce’sfinancial model is based on selling engines(Original Equipment, or ‘OE’) at or below cost,
recouping the manufacturing cost and generating the bulk of profits from sales of the TotalCare
aftermarket solution. Indeed, profits from aftermarket services not only need to recover
manufacturing and overhead costs of the enginesthey respectively serve, but also – cumulatively over
the engine lifetime and across multiple engine programmes – are essential to funding the high R&D
cost of Rolls-Royce’s next generation of engines and technologies. Cashflow fromTotalCare is essential
for reinvesting into future product development.
Figure 34 below shows an illustrative net cashflow of an engine programme over its lifecycle. The
diagram shows the relative cash generation (or consumption) of particular Trent engine programmes
– both today and expectations in ten years’ time.
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FIGURE 34 LIFECYCLE CASH FLOW PROFILE FOR A TYPICAL ENGINE PROGRAMME
Source: Rolls-Royce plc Annual Report 2017 Fact Sheet
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Service revenues for a particular engine programme are typically four times that of OE sales over the
lifetime of that programme (from first entry into service through to final decommissioning). The
majority of aftermarket sales are generated by TotalCare, although some are still based on time-andmaterials for customers choosing this option as engines approach end-of-life (via Rolls-Royce’s
‘Foundation Services’). This is illustrated in Figure 35 below.
FIGURE 35 TYPICAL REVENUE PROFILE OF ENGINE AND AFTERMARKET SERVICE SALES
Source: Wood, T. (2014) Rolls Royce plc
To maximise profitability under this model, it is essential for Rolls-Royce to:
 Ensure engines are always available to fly when needed
 Minimise the frequency of planned shop visits (increasing the time between shop visits)
 Reduce shop visit costs through operational and material efficiency
 Eliminate or minimise unplanned shop visits
The outcome of the TotalCare model has been that both Rolls-Royce and its airline customers have
benefited by avoiding and reducing MRO-related costs and maximising engine availability. Further
benefits generated by the model come from the technology and software platforms such as engine
health monitoring and data analytics that provide additional value to customers by improving in-flight
operational efficiency. This has enabled Rolls-Royce to offer further services – and incremental
revenues – through its CareStore.
Figure 36 below illustrates the profit recognised by Rolls-Royce for OE (engine) and aftermarket sales
for a particular engine programme. While profit recognition is influenced by accounting methods, it
demonstrates how TotalCare has enabled profits to be smoothed over the lifetime of an engine
programme. Figure 37 super-imposes the net cash flow position onto this diagram, showing how
TotalCare enables Rolls-Royce to continue generating cash well beyond the end of engine
manufacturing and over a period of 20-plus years.
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FIGURE 36 LIFECYCLE PROFILE OF RECOGNISED PROFIT FOR TOTALCARE (LINKED TOTALCARE 
PROGRAMME)
Source: Morris, M. (2014), Rolls-Royce plc
FIGURE 37 LIFECYCLE PROFILE OF RECOGNISED PROFIT FOR TOTALCARE (LINKED TOTALCARE 
PROGRAMME) – INCLUDING NET CASH FLOW
Source: Morris, M. (2014), Rolls-Royce plc
The above financial dynamics underline how today Rolls-Royce’s civil aerospace business makes more
revenue from services (52%) than it does from engine sales (as shown in Figure 38).
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FIGURE 38 ROLLS-ROYCE CIVIL AEROSPACE BUSINESS REVENUE MIX
Source: Rolls-Royce plc Annual Report 2017
In terms of market share, Rolls-Royce commands a 35% share of engines installed in the passenger
fleet for widebody aircraft. Based on order books and trends, Rolls-Royce predicts that its market
share will reach 50% by the early 2020s.
The commercialsuccess of TotalCare hinges on the value that it createsfor customers over the lifetime
of an engine. TotalCare has enabled Rolls-Royce to capture this value from aftermarket services. As
these are long lifecycles of 20-plus years, TotalCare has created long-term recurring revenues for the
company and its key partners. It also highlights the strategic importance of growing the installed base
of flying engines as each contributes to revenue generation.
3.13.2Commercial risks
Recent problems with the Trent 1000 and Trent 900 engines highlight the importance of ensuring that
the engine hardware works as intended, and the financial exposure created by the risk-transfer model
of TotalCare. Problems in these engine models have required Rolls-Royce to carry out costly
inspections and repairs, as well as to redesign some parts. Several aircraft have been grounded,
leading to flight cancellations and forcing airlines to lease other planes. These challenges have
therefore not only reduced some of the TotalCare revenues that would have been generated, but also
increased costs. It has led to a significant financial impact, with Rolls-Royce taking an exceptional
charge of £554m in the first half of 2018, and remedial measures are estimated to cost around £1.3bn.
Nevertheless, while this has impacted Rolls-Royce and some of its customers in the short term, it also
demonstrates the value of TotalCare risk-transfer working for airline customers under extreme
conditions. At time of writing, the overall strength of Rolls-Royce’s financial position is expected to
carry the company through this challenge and service revenues from the civil aviation business
continues to steadily grow.
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3.14Non-financial outcomes assessment
The success of TotalCare hinges on the value delivered to customers in terms of risk transfer, cost
predictability, increase engine availability, improved flying efficiency, and better management of highvalue engine assets.
One of the consequence of the TotalCare model is improved efficiency in the use of materials by
keeping engines at their highest utility, reusing parts, material recycling, and avoiding waste and
unnecessary use of virgin materials. These are discussed below.
3.14.1Material efficiency through extending lifetime and utility
TotalCare has enabled Rolls-Royce to extend the service intervals between engine overhauls by
around 25%. By keeping engines flying for longer there is less demand for new products and
components that require complex materials that are expensive and resource-intensive to
manufacture (as well as avoiding wastage that occurs during manufacturing).
Figure 39illustrates how design improvements and optimised maintenance of engine components
enable an increase in the average life of engines and time on wing.
FIGURE 39 DESIGN KNOWLEDGE OPTIMISING ENGINE LIFE 
Source: Adapted from Wood, T. (2014) Rolls Royce plc
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The positive impact of TotalCare on maintaining engine product utility over its lifetime is
demonstrated by that fact that, when an engine is under TotalCare contract, it commands a higher
residual value. This benefits the aircraft owner when it wishes to sell and transfer assets, and
demonstrates the way TotalCare enhances the value of engines under management.
3.14.2Material efficiency through better parts management and reuse
The TotalCare model enables effective deployment and reuse of parts based on intelligent tracking
and management of parts. To ensure quality ofservice Rolls-Royce forecasts, plans, and monitors what
servicing is needed at the required time and location; how many spares need to be manufactured; and
where they are stocked. The knowledge and transparency which TotalCare data systems bring to this
process means that it can be done in the most efficient manner possible, reducing over-stocking and
waste across the system (illustrated in Figure 40).
Furthermore, as described above, Rolls-Royce utilised Used Serviceable Materials for engines where
it is able to do so (usually for mature engines). Such parts are removed during MRO procedures, cycled
back to Rolls-Royce or partner repair/remanufacturing sites, and cycled back for further use in engine
maintenance.
FIGURE 40 EFFICIENT DEPLOYMENT AND REUSE OF PARTS
Source: Rolls-Royce plc
3.14.3Material efficiency through recycling (Revert programme)
Rolls-Royce uses over 20,000 tonnes of exotic aerospace alloys from rare metals every year in its
manufacturing processes, including hafnium, rhenium, tantalum and titanium.
Through the Revert programme over the past decade, Rolls-Royce has developed processesto remove
coatings, separate alloys and clean the waste metal from unserviceable engine parts. For example:
Rhenium alloys from used turbine blades are re-melted.
When an engine is under TotalCare contract, this enables a continuous chain of custody assurance so
that aerospace-grade materials and specialist alloys can be confidently re-used while meeting
stringent quality and safety requirements. TotalCare provides a high level of material stewardship
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across the lifetime of an asset as well as at end-of-life, thus enabling a closed loop material system.
Thisretainsthe value of material that would otherwise be deemed waste or be downcycled with lower
quality grades of metal.
Almost 95% of a used aero engine can now be recycled and around half of the recovered material is
of such high quality it can be safely used again to make a new engine. This reduces the need for virgin
materials, the extraction of which is expensive and has a significant environmental impact. Rolls-Royce
estimates that through Revert 300,000 Megawatt hours of energy are saved each year, and 80,000
tonnes of carbon dioxide are saved compared to using virgin materials. Revert also helps safeguard
the supply of critical raw materials by keeping them at the high grades needed within Rolls-Royce’s
supply chain.
As part of implementing the Revert programme, Rolls-Royce partnered with waste-metal processing
specialist SOS Metals, which established itself close to Rolls-Royce’s manufacturing plants near Derby
in the United Kingdom, creating new jobs and further growth opportunities
3.14.4Material efficiency through better repair processes
Through TotalCare, Rolls-Royce is continuously increasing its ability to repair individual engine
components as well as conducting repair of parts without taking the engine off the wing. This reduces
the need to manufacture new and spare parts, as well as speeding up the engine repair time. This
reduces the impact of maintenance on customers, helps to optimise engine availability, and improves
material resource efficiency.
TotalCare enables this through reinvestment of revenues and integration between design; data; and
engineering processes.
3.14.5Customer satisfaction and deepening relationships
High customer satisfaction underlies the continued commercial success of TotalCare and associated 
circularity benefits. Figure 41 below shows high customer satisfaction metrics for TotalCare: A large 
majority of customers (70% or over) agree that TotalCare delivers the performance outcomes they 
expect. Importantly, 92% of customers believe that TotalCare has helped them improve their 
business. 
FIGURE 41 CUSTOMER FEEDBACK ON TOTALCARE
Source: Palmer, T. (2015), Rolls-Royce plc
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Customer feedback also shows that TotalCare has helped Rolls-Royce improve its relationships with
customers. This underpins continuousimprovement and innovation by understanding and uncovering
new customer needs and requirement where TotalCare can add value.
Furthermore, TotalCare creates closer working relationships with customers, enabling Rolls-Royce to
offer more and better suited services.
3.15Role of ICT and technology in improving profitability and material 
efficiency
As discussed in depth in the sections above, ICT and technology has played a critical role within
TotalCare to improving profitability and material efficiency. Key areas include:
 Engine health monitoring and associated technology and data insights. The data and insights
provided from engine health monitoring are fundamental to providing TotalCare. This enables
efficiency and effectiveness of MRO services; it feeds back into product design; and enables a
suite of value added services provided to customers helping them improve their operations.
 Parts and materials management. Data and IT enables Rolls-Royce to avoid over-production
of parts and ensure they are efficiently deployed around the world.
 Repair innovations. New technologies (such as‘snake probes’ and 3D/additive manufacturing
techniques) are enabling higher material efficiency and eliminating waste in repair operations.
Data and ICT will become increasingly important to Rolls-Royce and TotalCare as it develops the
‘IntelligentEngine’ vision. Rolls-Royce has already completed its first digital engine design, and isin the
process of innovating around machine learning, AI, big data, and Internet of Things, to create further
value to customers.
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3.16SWOT analysis
This section contains an analysis of the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT)
associated with the circular business model. It isimportant to note that thisis primarily an assessment
of the attributes of the business model itself and only secondarily of the specific attributes of the
individual company. As is customary in SWOT analyses, the Strengths and Weaknesses are internal to
the case organisation’s business model. Whereas the Opportunities and Threats are external to the
case organisation’s business model, coming from the context in which they operate (illustrated in
Figure 42).
The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats covered in this section have been discussed in
detail within the business model assessment sections above. The purpose is to distil and highlight
those key areas that result in enablers or barriers for the development of circular business models.
Chapter 4 discusses these barriers and enablers, drawing lessons and conclusions.
FIGURE 42 SWOT ANALYSIS FRAMEWORK
Figure 43 below summarises the key SWOT areas assessed for TotalCare, which are discussed below.
FIGURE 43 SWOT ANALYSIS
Strengths
• Strong value proposition
• Installed base of engines
• Data and digital capabilities
• Partnerships that enhance and de-risk the
business model
Weaknesses
• Technical challenges of new engine models
Opportunities
• Growth in air travel
• Digitisation of airline industry
Threats
• Changing customer expectations
• Technological discontinuities
• Regulatory pressure
• Cost and security of supply for key
materials
Source: R2Pi Project analysis
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3.16.1Strengths 
An overarching strength of the TotalCare business model is that the various building blocks work
together in a coherent and integrated manner. We highlight here some specific strengths that are
‘linchpins’ for the business model.
Key strengths of Rolls-Royce’s TotalCare model are:
 A compelling value proposition for customers that addresses their key needs and
requirements
 Large and growing installed base of engines which drive revenue when utilised
 Effective use of data and digital capabilities to enhance the value proposition
 Partnerships that enhance and de-risk the business model
Strong value proposition 
The TotalCare value proposition provides compelling value to customers in a clear and transparent
way:
 It focuses on significant and measurable improvements to areas that are critical to customers’
own performance and success: transferring key risks and uncertainties (cost and timing of
MRO events) to Rolls-Royce.
 Rolls-Royce charges customers for this value and risk transfer in a clear and transparent
manner based on a rate per engine flight hour ($/EFH), so-called ‘power-by-the-hour’.
 Power-by-the-hour charging ensures full alignment of incentives and interests as the
customer only pays Rolls-Royce when its engine are powering aircraft.
The core value proposition is broadened with a range of standard as well as optional value added
services which address further areas of customer need. These are integrated into the $/EFH charging
structure which ensures simplicity and further alignment of incentives and interests.
A further strength is the evolution and adaptation of the TotalCare value proposition to changing
customer needs and priorities along the lifecycle of their engine assets (TotalCare Life, Term and Flex).
Installed base of engines 
Given that TotalCare revenues are driven by engine flight hours, Rolls-Royce’s large and growing
installed base of engines is a key strength of the business model.
While the bulk of the installed base has been relatively young, it is maturing and advancing along the
lifecycle. As indicated above, Rolls-Royce successfully evolved the TotalCare value proposition to
address changing customer needs and priorities. At the same time, a mature base of engines enters a
more predictable pattern of operation and opens up additional opportunities for efficiency and
circular economy enablers (discussed below).
A further advantage of a large installed base is the wealth of operational data generated through
engine health monitoring (see below).
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Data and digital capabilities 
Engine health monitoring has been a core part of the TotalCare business model from the beginning,
providing core performance information and enabling the $/EFH charging structure.
In recent years, growing technology capabilities in terms of sensors and data analysis have enabled
Rolls-Royce to add entirely new dimensions to its value proposition.
Initially, engine health monitoring data was used to better plan MRO interventions to optimise engine
time on-wing and maintenance costs. Better data insights and intelligence is now enabling Rolls-Royce
to expand its value proposition including:
 Ensuring ‘aircraft availability’such that Rolls-Royce engines are alwaysready to power aircraft
when needed to avoid costly delays and cancellations.
 Operational efficiency of airplanes in-flight and route optimisation.
Data and digitisation is therefore a key strength for TotalCare today, ensuring it remains relevant and
innovative in the future.
Partnerships that enhance and de-risk the business model 
The risk-transfer from airlines to Rolls-Royce in turn requires Rolls-Royce to manage this risk and the
associated responsibilities toward customers. Rolls-Royce has the unique advantage of having an
intimate understanding of its engines through design experience as well as performance in operation
via engine health monitoring.
Nevertheless the success and global expansion of TotalCare, as well as its evolution beyond MRO into
delivering aircraft availability and value added services, requires Rolls-Royce to have strong and
integrated partnerships. These are needed to ensure that the system as a whole functions seamlessly,
especially the quality of MRO service, reliability of engines, and digitisation. Strong partnerships are a
key strength of the TotalCare business model in the following areas:
 CareNetwork: Partnerships with third party MRO service providers enabling Rolls-Royce’s
network of MRO services to scale globally avoid the risk and cost of large fixed costs, in
exchange for revenue share.
 Supply chain: Risk and revenue sharing partnerships with suppliers that de-risk substantial
R&D investment in each new Trent engine programme, while aligning incentives to produce
high-quality engines that will generate a revenue share in use through power-by-the-hour.
 Digitisation: New partnerships are enabling Rolls-Royce to harness the wealth of data from
engines and create new value added services for customers.
3.16.2Weaknesses
Technical challenges of new engine models 
Recent challenges Rolls-Royce hasfaced with technical issues on the Trent 1000 and Trent 900 engines
is testing aspects of the TotalCare business model. One question is whether changes in engine
technology may be introducing additional product-related risk which the current business model may
find hard to manage.
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3.16.3Opportunities 
Two key opportunities for the development of TotalCare are the growth in air travel – and thereby 
growing business for airline customers – and the digitisation of the airline industry.
Growth in air travel and target customer segments 
Forecast growth in air travel will lead to further demand from airline customers for aircraft and the 
engines powering them. Rolls-Royce’s installed base of engines are the basis for TotalCare revenues, 
therefore there is an opportunity to significantly grow the TotalCare business over the coming years. 
Digitisation of the airline industry 
Key trends in digitisation of the airline industry will be favourable to the development of TotalCare, 
and Rolls-Royce is actively pursuing this with its ‘IntelligentEngine’ vision. Areas that will be 
important for Rolls-Royce include:
 Digital design. Using digital technology to design new generations of engine. This includes 
learning from analysing engine data to generate performance improvements. 
 Connectivity. This includes connectivity between Rolls-Royce engines in flight (e.g. a 
‘network of engines’), as well as integration of data from airline operations, weather, etc. to 
provide enhanced operational advice and services, as well as further data fed back into 
design.
 Big data analytics. Analysis of data sets from multiple sources to create insights used for 
engine design and service delivery.
 Artificial intelligence and machine learning. Software assisting engineers and service 
operations to make use of the increasing volume and variety of data generated by RollsRoyce and its partners. 
3.16.4Threats and uncertainties
The factors described below may be threats or potentially opportunities for Rolls-Royce and the 
TotalCare model depending on how they develop and how Rolls-Royce responds. 
Changing airline expectations may require changes to the TotalCare and power-by-the-hour charging 
model. However there will be an opportunity for Rolls-Royce if it effectively responds adapts its 
value proposition. 
Technological discontinuities such as electrification of engines (initially via hybrid-electric engines) 
could lead to a shift in service requirements which may have implications for TotalCare service 
operations. 
Regulatory pressure and material resource risks have an indirect effect on TotalCare as they impact 
the engine manufacturing stage. Hence potential changes to engine design will be important. These 
pressures may nevertheless drive further circularity in managing materials (this will be addressed in 
the following chapter), and therefore how TotalCare operates.
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Changing airline customer expectations 
Customers expect each new generation of engine to provide improved technical performance. 
However they also expect improvements in the TotalCare service to provide additional value to their 
own operations and performance. 
When Rolls-Royce initiated TotalCare in the 1990s the focus was on risk-transfer related to MRO 
services – specifically around cost and timing of interventions. Today the focus of customer 
requirements is shifting towards ensuring aircraft availability within certain performance parameters 
(for example guaranteeing aircraft are able to depart from the gate and arrive on time 90% of the 
time).
This shift from cost management risks to aircraft availability may require the TotalCare model and 
charging structure to change (for example making service revenues subject to achieving certain 
performance parameters, similar to a Service Level Agreement).
Technological discontinuities 
Rolls-Royce has highlighted that electrification of propulsion will be an important trend and area of 
attention. This is being driven by global requirements for emission reduction as well as advances in 
technology. In the first instance, aero engine manufacturers will look at developing hybrid-electric 
solutions. While this isn’t an imminent change to the business, it may require changes to the 
TotalCare model if engine electrification results in substantially different servicing requirements, 
engine lifetimes, etc.
Regulatory pressure 
Regulatory pressure on carbon emissions is likely to continue and may accelerate some of the 
technological discontinuities mentioned above. Nevertheless, this will impact the industry as a whole 
as well as Rolls-Royce’s competitors, and the company is continually working to develop more fuel 
efficient and lower-emission engines. Where such regulation leads to early retirement of older 
engines, this may impact TotalCare revenues as Rolls-Royce will need to compete for new engine 
contracts with customers.
Regulations such as REACH that control the use of certain chemicals in aero engines may pose a 
greater challenge to the TotalCare business model given that engine lifetimes are very long (20-25 
years). There is therefore a risk that mature engines and parts coming back into Rolls-Royce’s repair 
and remanufacturing operations at the latter stages of their lifecycle run afoul of changing 
restrictions and authorisations. 
Cost and security of supply for key materials 
New engine models and technologies require ever more advanced materials for the engine’s ‘hot 
section’ (those parts exposed to the highest temperatures). Many of these are exotic and rare, with 
constrained supply. Past experience has shown that such metals may sometimes be subject to 
protectionism from originating countries (impacting security of supply), and supply-demand 
dynamics can have a significant impact on costs. 
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4 Discussion & Conclusions
Rolls-Royce’s TotalCare business model is an example of ‘servitisation’ (also known as a productservice system), working over the whole lifecycle of a product. This is one of the key patterns 
enabling a circular economy business model.
Although Rolls-Royce engines are sold to the aircraft owner, the TotalCare service package means 
Rolls-Royce retains responsibility for ensuring the product performs to customer requirements. The 
power-by-the-hour charging mechanism ($/EFH) keeps incentives aligned by rewarding Rolls-Royce
when the product is working as needed, and penalising it when it isn’t. This mechanism and 
alignment between the OEM and its customers encourages continuous improvement and 
collaboration. Due to the nature of the business, this leads to a drive to extend the asset lifetime and 
reduce repair and maintenance costs – all of which reduces waste, increases resource efficiency, and 
enhance the asset’s value over its lifetime.
Furthermore, the product-service offering enables continuous innovation around the service aspect 
as TotalCare provides opportunities for constant insight and learning around customer requirements 
(through data as well as contact with account teams). This produces ongoing improvements and 
evolution of the value proposition itself (e.g. developing initially into TotalCare ‘Term’, then ‘Life’, 
and subsequently ‘Flex’) as well as expansion of value added services. This means that the customer 
is no longer buying ‘just’ an engine, but gaining expanded value addressing a suite of needs and 
requirements. This provides greater flexibility for Rolls-Royce to manage the underlying engine asset 
within the TotalCare contract, focusing on outcomes for the customer, rather than the product itself.
As the OEM, Rolls-Royce is able to deploy its expertise and product knowledge to ensure engines 
under TotalCare stay on-wing for longer and deliver an attractive proposition for customers. Recent 
challenges with the quality of Trent 1000 and 900 engines are a reminder that the product is always 
core to the business model and that engineering excellence underlies the proper working of the 
TotalCare cost structure and business model.
It is important to recognise that it is the distinctive benefits that TotalCare provides to customers 
through alignment of incentives and business models that makes it work. The resultant benefits of 
increased resource efficiency and reduced waste are not enough on their own to make it successful.
4.1 Key enablers – historical perspective
TotalCare has evolved over the past 15-20 years, and a such is a relatively mature business model. 
This section summarises the key enablers that got it to where it is now. The following section picks
up on the areas discussed in Section 3.16 (SWOT analysis) to discuss future enablers and potential 
barriers to further circularity within the TotalCare business model.
As evidenced above, the key strengths internal to Rolls-Royce’s TotalCare business model that have 
underpinned its success to date, as well as circular economy outcomes, are:
 A compelling value proposition for customers that addressed their key needs and
requirements, and fully aligned incentives and business models. This in itself underlines the
importance of gaining deep customer insights through the business relationship.
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 A high-performance engine product that is connected to the TotalCare service proposition
through sensor technology and software applications, namely: advanced sensor technology
and data analytics. These provided the intelligence for Rolls-Royce to effectively plan MRO
interventions.
 Deep knowledge of service operations and the engine technology acquired through own
design insights, engine health monitoring data, and experience from MRO activities. This
further enabled planning and optimisation ofservices as well as effective costing and financial
management to propose an attractive power-by-the-hour service charge.
The key external ingredient that enabled the TotalCare value proposition to emerge and grow was 
the willingness of customers to collaborate and adopt it. Cathay Pacific and American Airlines were 
some of the early adopters of the model, providing a proof point and reference which Rolls-Royce
was able to then use to attract other customers. As original customers such as Cathay’s engine fleet 
matured, they again pioneered further variations of the TotalCare model such as TotalCare Flex.
Rolls-Royce is now evolving to a next stage, going beyond efficient MRO planning to new areas of 
value such as delivering certain levels of aircraft availability. 
This underlines the importance of working closely with customers, understand their needs, and 
using this to innovate the value proposition and wider business model. 
The Revert programme for cycling materials from decommissioned engines and parts is not 
necessarily core to the TotalCare model (TotalCare could still likely function without it). However it is 
very much enhanced and further enabled by the fact that TotalCare provides Rolls-Royce with access 
to the engine (even if it is owned by the customer) throughout its lifetime, and therefore access to 
the materials for cycling back into its supply chain. 
4.2 Future enablers, barriers and challenges
Building on the strengths of the TotalCare business model and key external opportunities highlighted 
in Section 3.16 (SWOT analysis), the following are potential enablers for further circularity:
 Expansion of digital capabilities will enable even better tracking of engine assets and the 
maintenance status and physical location of their component parts. Combined with the 
increasing maturity of a large tranche of Rolls-Royce installed base, this may provide 
additional opportunities for intelligent re-deployment of parts and materials. Overall, RollsRoyce’s capabilities for tracking materials and components across its network, and making 
parts deployment even more efficient will be enhanced through technology.
 Developments in digital technology will broaden the scope of customer support and valueadded services provided to customers, including route optimisation and end-of-life 
management. This can contribute to further circularity if Rolls-Royce is given more discretion 
to optimise management of engine assets if it delivers further value-adding outcomes to 
customers. 
 Growth in the airline industry will be a key driver for TotalCare. This will especially be the 
case with new or start-up airlines who do not have the in-house knowledge of MRO 
operations that established airlines have. They may therefore be more willing to outsource 
MRO operations and seek the types of valued-added services offered by Rolls-Royce under 
TotalCare.
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 Continued growth of Rolls-Royce’s installed base of engines, combined with growing digital 
and ‘IntelligentEngine’ capabilities will provide Rolls-Royce with even further insights and 
data as a key resource to improve and expand the TotalCare value position and business 
model.
Based on the SWOT analysis, Rolls-Royce may have to deal with some uncertainties and challenges 
that could impact the ‘circular’ aspects of its business model, but also present new opportunities. 
Regulatory scrutiny and perceived anti-competitive practices
Past regulatory scrutiny of perceived anti-competitive practices in the aftermarket may re-surface. 
The original inquiries by the European Commission arose from airlines and their trade body IATA 
complaining about being locked into expensive service contracts. Similarly, independent MRO 
providers have also expressed concerns about being locked out of business with airline customers by 
these types of contracts.
Aftermarket service contracts are now offered not only by other aero engine OEMs such as GE, but 
are also being adopted by airframe manufacturers and OEMs of aircraft systems. It will therefore be 
important for OEMs such as Rolls-Royce to ensure that they continue to provide value-for- money. 
There is a risk that poor outcomes by other players may reflect badly on those that do provide 
competitive value. Rolls-Royce should therefore not take for granted that customers won’t question 
and re-evaluate the value they get from end-to-end lifecycle contracts such as TotalCare. 
Rolls-Royce currently does offer a ‘Foundation Services’ proposition to customers who wish to 
conduct their own MRO planning and pay based on the traditional time-and-materials model. The 
fact that virtually all customers still choose a form of TotalCare is an indication that it remains a 
strong and relevant proposition today.
Further efficiencies in the deployment of used parts
The re-deployment of used serviceable materials typically becomes more prevalent when engines 
are approaching their end-of-life and airlines are trying to minimise investment and extract as much 
value as possible from the remaining engine lifetime. This practice is used less for younger engines, 
and there may be an opportunity to extend this. In order to expand deployment of used parts to 
newer engines, Rolls-Royce may have to address two challenges:
 Customer perceptions that ‘new is better’ and acceptance of utilising used parts in new 
engine repair.
 Customer acceptance of Rolls-Royce managing a ‘pool’ of used spare parts across various 
customers rather than having dedicated stocks of parts.
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4.3 Replicability in other sectors
In Section 3.2 we described the value-at-stake for airline customers and how managing the engine 
asset impacts them operationally and financially. Section 3.3.3 described the engine asset itself, 
focusing on the Rolls-Royce Trent models. These highlight some key characteristics of widebody aero 
engines around which TotalCare’s value proposition and business model has been designed:
 The mission-critical nature of engines. Taking safety as a given (engine design and 
maintenance parameters being strictly regulated), if the engine doesn’t work properly, the 
aircraft can’t fly as planned. This has significant and direct impacts on airline customers’ 
finances and operations. A solution that reduces this risk and maximises performance for 
customers will gain attention and willingness to pay.
 Engines are high cost / high value assets that are required to function over a long lifecycle.
Widebody aircraft engines are assets worth maintaining for as long as possible as they are 
very expensive, and are attached to aircraft that remain in service for over 20 years. They 
have defined lifetimes within which certain parts must be replaced or repaired, but this can 
be done multiple times with ‘life’ being put back into the asset as required. In fact the asset 
value of engines becomes more important than that of the airframe over the lifecycle as 
their value can be maintained for longer through regular maintenance and repair. Engines 
are not subject to replacement unless the aircraft itself is retired (as each engine model is 
designed for a specific airframe).
 Cost and complexity of servicing and maintaining engines. Widebody aircraft engine 
maintenance requires significant know-how and technical capabilities to ensure it optimises 
time on wing, asset value, and cost. This represents significant risk to airlines, and a service 
that enables them to transfer that risk will provide significant value they are willing to pay 
for.
The key success factors that the Rolls-Royce TotalCost model teaches us, which could be relevant to 
other sectors, are:
 A value proposition that enables a risk transfer and aligns incentives between the OEM and 
the customer based on a simple and transparent charging mechanism (power by the hour).
 A value proposition that stays relevant to changing customer requirements over the lifetime 
of the asset (evolution from TotalCare ‘Term’ to TotalCare ‘Life’ and ‘Flex’).
 The ability of the OEM to use its own deep design knowledge and usage/performance data 
to effectively accept a risk transfer and manage the asset ‘end to end’ (from product design 
through to service delivery across the lifecycle).
 Strong partnerships to support the risk transfer (e.g. Risk and Revenue Sharing Partners) as 
well as providing the scale and capabilities to serve customers in an integrated way (e.g. 
CareNetwork partners).
 Use of data and digitisation to develop additional value-added services that enhance the 
core proposition.
Other sectors in which capital assets represent a significant value at stake for customers and there is 
an opportunity to transfer risk onto the OEM, paid for through a performance contract, could be 
candidates for a TotalCare-type model. While TotalCare needs to be very sophisticated given the 
complexity of engine assets and operations, the general principles and success factors could hold for 
other types of assets.
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4.4 Insights for business guidelines
The core focus of this case study is on Rolls-Royce’s TotalCare business model – an example of 
‘servitisation’ (also known as a product-service system), working over the whole lifecycle of a 
product. The business model assessment and SWOT analysis in Chapter 3, and the assessment above 
of key enablers and barriers for the circular business model, provide a real-world example that 
organisations in similar sectors or in a similar context can draw insights and lessons from. 
In particular, the following key insights are important to note:
 Revenue mechanisms that align interests between a company and its customers can 
create powerful circular business models. Although Rolls-Royce engines are sold to the 
aircraft owner, the TotalCare service package means Rolls-Royce retains responsibility for 
ensuring the product performs to customer requirements. The power-by-the-hour charging 
mechanism ($/EFH) keeps incentives aligned by rewarding Rolls-Royce when the product is 
working as needed, and penalising it when it isn’t. This mechanism and alignment between 
the OEM and its customers encourages continuous improvement and collaboration. This 
also drives the extension of asset lifetime while optimising/reducing repair and maintenance 
costs. This results in reduced waste, increased resource efficiency, and enhances the asset’s 
value over its lifetime.
 Service-focused offerings that enable manufacturers to gain insight and intelligence on the 
use and performance of their products can lead to better customer service, improved 
product/service design, and resource efficiency. TotalCare provides opportunities for 
constant insight and learning around customer requirements. This insight is enabled by the 
collection of engine usage and performance data, as well as through deep customer 
relationships. This produces ongoing improvements and evolution of the value proposition 
itself as well as expansion of value added services. This means that the customer is no longer 
buying ‘just’ a product, but gaining expanded value addressing a suite of needs and 
requirements. This provides greater flexibility for manufacturers to manage the underlying 
asset within a service contract, focusing on outcomes for the customer.
 Servitised performance-based models can be important enablers for ‘Resource Recovery’ 
as well as ‘Re-condition’ / ‘Re-make’ circular business model patterns. In the example of 
TotalCare, Rolls-Royce’s service contract includes the provision of maintenance services 
which it has the responsibility and flexibility to deliver in an optimal way. This ensures that 
the ‘life’ and utility of the engine product is kept at the right level over its lifetime. 
Furthermore, the service contract gives the manufacturer visibility of the product 
throughout its lifecycle. This is especially relevant at the end-of-cycle where it creates an 
opportunity for product take-back and recovery of high value materials through close-loop 
recycling. 
 When transitioning from a product-focused to a service-focused business model, the 
installed base becomes a key asset and driver of revenue and profitability. In productfocused business models, revenue is driven by the product sales price, and potentially some 
recurring revenue from maintenance services and sale of consumables and add-ons. In a 
service-focused business model, the installed base of products in use can become the driver 
of recurring revenue over the product’s lifecycle. This aligns financial performance for the 
manufacturer (revenue and profits) with ensuring that products in use are kept at optimal 
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performance for as long as possible. This in turn is a key enabler for resource efficiency and 
waste elimination. 
4.5 Insights for policy recommendations
In this case study, issues related to policy primarily focus on the potential of product-service 
offerings being perceived as anti-competitive. 
In order for many product-service or servitised business models to work, tight integration is required 
between the delivery of the product, the provision of services around the product, and the overall 
revenue model for charging the customer. In effect, products and services get tightly bundled and 
cannot be differentiated from the customer’s perspective. As illustrated by the TotalCare case study, 
this can also require tight integration of an ‘ecosystem’ of partnerships and infrastructure (for 
example suppliers and providers of maintenance services). This integration is needed to align 
business models between partners, as well as processes and technology, in order to maximise 
efficiency and minimise risks.
This degree of ‘lock-in’ can create a perception of reduced choice and competition in the market. 
Competition policy may therefore need to adapt to account for new servitised approaches, and to 
ensure that unfair practices are properly distinguished from innovative and value-adding business 
models.
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