AviTrader_Monthly_MRO_e-Magazine_2015-06

Company Profile: Aerostar
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work either separately or as part of a heavy
maintenance check, according to customer
requirements.
In the short term they are currently no plans
for Aerostar in include widebodies on the ‘to
do’ list and in the long term [10 year period]
Filip wants to position the company to grow
by a significant margin “We are not yet in a
position to have sales of say €100 million per
year. [Currently €65 million]. But I think in
10 years’ time our target for sales should be
much more than that, around €300-400 million
per year.”
737 and A320 is the key MRO activity. Photo: Keith Mwanalushi
steadily with Aerostar now counted as a Tier
2 supplier in the international aviation supply
chain. The company is a major subcontractor
of parts and assemblies to companies such
as GKN Aerospace and Fokker for a variety of
commercial aviation programmes, including
those from Airbus, Gulfstream and Dassault,
Further qualifications and approvals for Boeing
and Bombardier programmes are underway
according to the company.
Aerostar is also a significant subcontractor
for the production of systems and components
for landing gears and hydraulic systems.
Working primarily with Messier-Bugatti-Dowty,
Aerostar produces significant components
for aircraft such as the A320 family, A330,
A350XWB and Boeing 787. The company is
also the sole supplier of undercarriages for
the Daher-Socata TBM 700 executive turboprop
aircraft.
Like most MRO providers Filip is keen to see
the business attract new customers especially
in emerging markets. The company has a keen
interest in the Middle East and Africa and already
has regular work from Royal Air Maroc,
Starbow (Ghana) and fastjet.
can be more difficult because the resources
are limited but we don’t treat them in a different
way because our perception of them
is not different from the market in general,”
says Filip.
Aerostar is also advancing with the
qualification of new processes. For
instance the company is investing
in the qualification of a new process
which is Tartaric anodising (Sulphuric
Acid TSA) which will replace chromic
anodising.
This change is the result of the European
constraints which are part
of the REACH programme. (REACH is
the Regulation, Evolution, Authorisation,
and Restriction of Chemicals.)
“We have many other special processes
under qualification. The
qualification of special processes
together with the investments in
technological equipment makes us
confident that we will be successful
to achieve these goals and continue
to grow,” he continues.
In order to achieve this Aerostar will need to
increase the complexity of the work that is
done in the manufacturing process. Similarly,
to grow in the MRO sector, Filip says there will
be need to multiply Aerostar’s success in Bacau
to another location. In about 10 years he
can envisage Aerostar having two more locations
further to the one in Bacau and a turnover
of €300-400 million per year.
Filip strongly believes that the Middle East
and Africa have significant potential to grow
the business in the future. “We believe that
in this market we can bring more added value
whereas in other markets there is a certain
degree of saturation,” he observes.
“Having said that, these markets are like other
markets – competitive! Sometimes they
Over the past twelve months Aerostar
has become one of the first independent
MROs in Europe to carry
out installations of the new Split
Scimitar Winglets on Boeing 737NG
aircraft. Since completing the first
installation about 11 months ago,
Aerostar has now carried out a total
of 14 installations and can offer this
Aerostar is a subcontractor for the production of systems and components
for landing gears and hydraulic systems. Photo: Keith Mwanalushi
AviTrader MRO - June 2015