Signed and Sealed: MRO Acquisitions of 2018

UTC finalized its record $30 billion blockbuster acquisition of avionics giant Rockwell Collins in November 2018. As a result of the buyout, wholesale changes are anticipated in the UTC business. It intends to spin off its non-aerospace business units Carrier and Otis Elevator Co. Instead, UTC will focus on aerospace and defense its Pratt & Whitney unit and Collins Aerospace, a hybrid of UTC Aerospace Systems and Rockwell.

The year came to a close with AerSale growing its parts repair platform with the acquisition of Avborne, a provider of specialized repair services covering hydraulics, pneumatics, electronic and landing gear components. According to AerSale, the Avborne acquisition will cover a gap in its MRO services. The acquisition will bring Avborne’s 112,000 sq. ft. facility near the Miami International Airport and approximately 100 skilled professionals and technicians under the AerSale umbrella.

Aviation Technical Services (ATS) acquired Texas-based parts specialist Ranger Air in summer 2018. The move provided a launch pad for ATS to venture into component trading, while according to the company, Ranger Air would have direct access to its repair offerings. “We were in the market for a materials company or parts trading company and had looked at several. We felt Ranger was really best in class and pursued them aggressively,” Brian Hirshman, ATS president told MRO-Network.com in June.

Boeing finalized its acquisition of KLX in October 2018 for $4.25 billion. The deal is Boeing's largest since buying airframe manufacturer McDonnell Douglas in 1997 for $13.3 billion. Stan Deal, Boeing Global Services president and CEO, told MRO-Network.com that the acquisition is a way for Boeing to build out its distribution capabilities and make it more nimble in its response to customers.

New entrants into the MRO segment have continued this year. The latest player is private equity firm Liberty Hall Capital Partners, which announced in December that it bought Aircraft Performance Group, which offers proprietary flight operations software targeted at the aerospace aftermarket.

BBA Aviation, the parent company of component OEM and MRO provider Ontic, confirmed the acquisition of Firstmark, an aftermarket services provider of components and subsystems, for $97 million in September 2018. The acquisition, subject to certain government and regulatory approvals, is expected to be finalized in late 2018 and will see the business become part of Ontic and be led by president and managing director Gareth Hall.

In a move aimed at growing its component repair scope, replacement parts provider Wencor Group announced the acquisition of Silver Wings Aerospace, a certified Part 145 repair station located in Princeton, Florida. Silver Wings, which specializes in electric power and hydraulic component repair with a focus on used serviceable material, was founded in 2007 by the Montalvo family and has operated as a family-owned business.

In late August, parts provider and aftermarket specialist Heico on  announced its Flight Support Group has acquired Optical Display Engineering (ODE), an FAA-authorized Part 145 repair station and a parts manufacturing authority. ODE offers repair services for liquid crystal display screens and modules for civilian and military aircraft. 

Singapore-based MRO provider ST Engineering enhanced its production capabilities by agreeing to acquire nacelle manufacturer MRAS from GE for $630 million in September 2018.

In summer 2018, Dubai's DAE Capital became one of the largest lessors in the world following its acquisition of AWAS.

Further consolidation in Europe’s turboprop maintenance market occurred through German company Rheinland Air Service (RAS) acquiring fellow Germany-based Contact Air Technik. Contact’s capabilities include heavy maintenance for the ATR42/72 and Bombardier Q400 from its two hangars at Saarbruecken Airport. RAS offers similar services from its base at Düsseldorf-Mönchengladbach Airport.