An international designer and manufacturer of new, repaired and overhauled aircraft interior products is preparing to launch a customer-focused service as an element of its growth plans. Flitetec, an EASA/CAA approved 145 repair organisation, will officially unveil its OEMRepair Hub service at the Farnborough International Airshow this month.
The company, which is based in the UK, is aiming to “revolutionise” the way requirements are handled for customers needing repair and overhaul for components and equipment initially supplied by Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). The primary focus will be on electro-mechanical and avionics components, as well as door locks and latches.
The service is being launched after Flitetec achieved record figures, doubling its annual revenues in each of the past two years, with the company now planning for further growth.
Trevor Lea, managing director of Flitetec, explained the new service: “Many operators in aviation are facing increasing challenges in the repair and replacement of parts on their assets, especially legacy aircraft.
“The Original Equipment Manufacturer may not exist anymore, be part of a larger group, or no longer have the capability or capacity to perform repairs and refurbishment for particular parts. In some cases, parts may no longer be available.
“All of the time an asset is non-operational it is costing money. The cost of repair or refurbishing safety or mission-critical equipment or components can be a fraction of the upgrade cost for an entirely new aircraft or platform,” added Lea.
Flitetec says it has identified a gap in the market to provide a comprehensive service that manages repair processes, ensuring efficiency, reliability and customer satisfaction. OEMRepair Hub extends to mapping supply chains back to source difficult-to-find products, and acquiring the design rights and tooling to legacy products that are no longer supported by the OEM. The service is intended to act as a bridge between the operator and the OEM to enable repair, refurbishment or replacement.
“OEMRepair Hub aims not only to manage repair orders but to elevate the entire repair experience,” added Lea. “It allows customers to focus on what they do best, innovating and growing their business, rather than worry about the logistical minutiae of repairs.”
Flitetec will perform repairs, refurbishment and replacement in-house, and will work with dedicated partners and certified repair centres. Planned benefits for customers include streamlined repair processes to reduce turnaround times and operational delays; centralised management and communication to simplify multiple repair orders; and efficient logistics and centralised coordination to reduce operational costs, minimise downtime and increases productivity for large customers.
The OEMRepair Hub launch follows Flitetec opening a distribution centre and offices in Mont-de-Marsan, Fraqnce (between Bordeaux and Toulouse) in January, complementing the sales office in North America.
