In recent years, Lantal has been working to expand beyond textiles manufacturing to become a comprehensive, single-source passenger cabin services provider. The latest part of the Swiss company’s strategy is the acquisition of Airline Services Interiors, a Manchester, UK-based cabin completions specialist with 116 staff.
Airline Services Interiors develops and delivers hardware for the refurbishment, modernization and upgrade of cabin interiors, including parts such as armrests, tray tables, seat covers and pleated or sewn curtains (indeed the company has been producing pleated curtains for Lantal for many years).
This acquisition is not the first step in Lantal’s expansion strategy, with other recent tactical moves including the integration in 2016 of Aircraft Cabin Components (ACC) in Germany and the establishment of Lantal Parts s.r.o. in the Czech Republic in 2017. Benefits of these deals include the addition of capabilities such as cut & sew services for items such as ready-made seat covers and headrests, as well as the overhaul and modernization of seats and cabin components. The Airline Services Interiors deal adds the scope to deliver total aircraft cabin maintenance covering the entire value chain.