Airbus expands Inventory Management Service with MRO Aeroman

Indian group opens MRO facility at
RAK airport
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Pg 6
Pg 13
Pg
JETS Biggin Hill MRO gains ASC extension
from Dassault
HAL to manufacture Russian military
helicopters
May 15 th , 2016
Airbus expands Inventory Management
Service with MRO Aeroman
A
irbus has extended the Management Service Inventory Airbus (AMI
acronym), a customized solution Satair
Group, a subsidiary of Airbus, designed
for optimal inventory management
that ensures availability and automatic
replacement of worn parts and not
repairable aircraft on the premises.
The expansion was carried out at the
premises of Aeroman , MRO provider in
El Salvador , which continue to benefit
from the advantages of this program.
In its modern facilities located in
the El Salvador International Airport,
Aeroman provides a wide range of
maintenance services to the operators of
the A320 Family United States , Mexico ,
Central America and South America
After two years of experience working
with the AMI service, Aeroman has decided to continue cooperating with Satair
Group to expand the scope of this service.
“The AMI service has helped us
optimize the supply chain of the airline
industry by reducing administrative
www.mrobusinesstoday.com
costs and expediting orders for our
customers,” said Edison Viteri, Director
of Supply Chain Aeroman.
Viteri added that “with this tool have
managed to reduce the ad hoc orders,
while we have improved service for our
customers through optimal inventory
planning.”
“The high availability of parts AMI
provides service reduces both the time
the aircraft on the ground as the inventory level, a key factor to offer a maintenance service first class”, also said Viteri.
Paul Lochab, CCO of Satair Group, said,
meanwhile, that “logistics and inventory
management are key aspects in the
aviation industry requiring maximum
attention, and AMI management leads
to a higher level.”
Meanwhile, the European aerospace
group Airbus and German energy and
engineering group Siemens want to
create the first electric aircraft with
hybrid propulsion systems , capacity for
100 passengers and be ready for 2030.
MAEL wins Spanish
airline summer contracts
M
onarch Aircraft Engineering
(MAEL) has confirmed new line
maintenance contracts with three
Spanish carriers for summer 2016.
The UK-based MRO will carry out
work on A320 aircraft for Iberia at
its Birmingham facility as well as
servicing the same aircraft type for
low-cost carrier Vueling at its Birmingham, Luton and Leeds-Bradford
airport sites.
In addition, MAEL will also conduct
call out support services on Primera
Air’s fleet of 737 aircraft at Malaga
Airport.
Dave Norton, head of sales at MAEL,
said the contracts are a continuation
of the firm building up its European
MRO operations.
May 15, 2016
1
Air India MRO aims to double third-party revenue
A
ir India’s aircraft maintenance repair and overhaul unit (MRO) aims
to nearly double its third-party business
revenue to Rs 130 crore in FY2017. It also
plans to hire 150 engineers and 450 technicians to cater to growth and replace
15-20 engineers retiring each month.
Air India’s engineering services was
hived off as a separate subsidiary in
2013 as part of its turnaround plan and
last January it received approval from
the Directorate General of Civil Aviation
(DGCA). Last year, the MRO earned about
Rs 65-70 crore from third party business
and it largely caters to Air India’s engineering requirement.
The MRO unit has been unable to
secure substantial third-party business
till now and has grappled with labour
issues and an unsuccessful litigation
against the hive off of the unit.
But the management is now making
renewed efforts to attract business from
private airlines and secure certification
from Federal Aviation Administration
and European Aviation Safety Agency
for its facilities in Nagpur and Thiruvananthapuram.
Air India Engineering Services is currently undertaking a ‘C’ check (heavy
maintenance check carried after about
2 years) on Jet Airways Boeing 777
aircraft. This is the first ‘C’ check being
carried out by Air India for a private
airline though it carries out routine
maintenance and minor repair works for
several years now.
At present, Indian carriers outsource
about 90% of their repair and maintenance work to companies abroad. This is
partly because of the limited capabilities
of domestic service providers and partly
because of the high tax structure in India. In order for a MRO to be successful,
it needs to be cost competitive and work
on quick turnaround times. Air India
management hopes the engineering
Hercules MRO masters
L
ocated across the runway
from the SOFEX site and exhibiting in the national pavilion (Hall
5, Stand B536), the Jordan Aeronautical-Systems Company (JAC)
was established as a joint venture
between the Royal Jordanian Air
Force and Marshall of Cambridge
Ltd. Drawing on the UK company’s
expertise with the Hercules, Marshall Jordan was initially established to provide maintenance for
the RJAF’s C-130 fl eet, as well as to
compete for foreign business.
Today JAC is wholly owned by
the RJAF, and is one of the region’s
leading maintenance, repair and
overhaul organisations, with
2
May 15, 2016
arm will be able to achieve that.
“We carry out landing gear change
and engine replacement work for GoAir.
We are also looking for long-term contracts with other private airlines,” said
HR Jagannath, CEO of Air India Engineering Services.
“GoAir has full capability and approval from DGCA for carrying out all
land maintenance activities. However,
occasionally we do take assistance from
other service providers like Air India
for undertaking work like landing gear
change etc,” a GoAir spokesperson said.
Worldwide Aircraft Services teams up
with Saab for 340B modifications
W
FAA and EASA Pt 145 approval,
as well as approvals from many
national aviation authorities. The
C-130 remains an important part
of JAC’s activities, but from 2006
the company added Boeing 737
competency, and in 2012 became
an approved service centre for the
AW139 helicopter. It also provides
maintenance services for C-130
and Boeing 737 powerplants.
orldwide Aircraft Services has agreed
a partnership with OEM Saab to obtain
FAA approval for the installation of 340A cargo
modification service bulletins into 340B aircraft.
Sweden-based Saab said that by installing the
modifications, the aircraft will benefit operators
with greater flexibility, range and capacity.
As part of the agreement, Worldwide will also
become a recognised 340/2000 AMO and will continue to provide MRO services for its regional Jet and
turboprop aircraft.
“The Saab 340 aircraft has served operators very
well over the years in both passenger and cargo markets; the current market trends and aircraft values
make this an ideal time to bring the SAAB 340B
aircraft to the freighter markets,” said Jim McClean,
president of Worldwide Aircraft Services.
www.mrobusinesstoday.com
Indian group opens MRO facility at RAK airport
CTS buys 12 mature CF6
engines
M
S
un MRO and Technical Services (Sun
MROTECH), a unit of Deccan Charters,
India, celebrated the leasing of a hangar
facility for MRO operations at Ras Al
Khaimah (RAK) International Airport.
The partnership, which is in accord with
the long term and broader vision of His
Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi,
the Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah and Member of the Supreme Council, will create a
robust and enduring aviation ecosystem
for aviation growth in the region.
The facility is being set up to provide
maintenance, repair and overhaul services to a number of airlines and business jet owners and operators. Initially
the facility will provide line and base
maintenance, component overhaul and
structural repair works for single aisle
narrow body aircraft (Airbus 320 and
Boeing 737 families) and certain types
of business jets. The facility will become
operational from August 2016 subject to
regulatory approvals.
The MRO operation will have shops for
component overhaul, wheels & brakes,
hydraulic systems, pneumatic systems, oxygen and emergency systems,
structural repair and painting as well
as others. It will not only cater to the
UAE economy, and Ras Al Khaimah in
particular, but also to the greater Gulf,
South-East Asian and African nations.
Capt. G R Gopinath, chairman of
Deccan, said: “I am encouraged by the
progressive and visionary policies of
His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr
Al Qasimi, and that of Sheikh Salem
Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of the
www.mrobusinesstoday.com
Department of Civil Aviation and RAK
International Airport.
“If a country has to achieve equitable
all round growth and employment, aviation has to be key to that growth and
integral to that vision. Sun MROTECH
will create the foundations for the long
term growth and stability of Ras Al
Khaimah aviation. It will leverage and
use the unique strategic advantage of
RAK airport in the region, to not only tap
into the UAE and Middle East markets
but to attract aircraft from neighbouring
regions such as Asia and Africa to generate foreign exchange earnings and boost
the local RAK economy, by building
lasting world class MRO and Technical services with the proactive support
and encouragement of the RAK airport
authorities,” he added.
Sheikh Salem said: “We are delighted
to welcome Sun MROTECH and Capt.
Gopinath, the aviation pioneer who was
often credited as being the father of low
cost airlines in India, to RAK International Airport and believe this partnership signifies the strategic importance
of RAK International Airport and reflects
the opportunities available to aviation
companies in the region. We believe that
this new partnership will bring a considerable boost to the aviation industry and
ecosystem in Ras Al Khaimah.”
Mohammed Qazi, the CEO of RAK Airport Authority, added, “RAK International
Airport looks forward to the new partnership with Sun MROTECH and will extend
all support in its efforts to attract aviation
business to the airport and the region.”
ature engine specialist CTS
Engines has bought 12 CF6-80
engines from an unnamed U.S. carrier.
The acquired engines include nine
CF6-80A and three CF6-80C2A5
models.
Additional terms of the transaction
were not disclosed. Brian Neff, CEO of
the Fort Lauderdale-based firm, said
the engines will be used as teardowns
and short-term spares in support of
CTS customer shop visits.
CTS’ capabilities include engine
overhauls for the CF6-50, CF6-80A,
CF6-80C, and PW2000 engine models
carried out at its 6,500m2 MRO facility in Florida.”
AAR to service Volotea
A319 fleet
A
AR has entered into a powerby-the-hour (PBH) component
inventory management and repair
programme with Spanish low-cost
carrier Volotea’s A319 fleet.
Under the terms of the contract, the
aftermarket specialist will manage
the supply chain through its global
warehouse network with a primary
parts pool based in Brussels.
The agreement also includes AAR
managing the complete component
repair cycle with Barcelona-based
Volotea also having access to its
entire inventory through exchanges
and procurement. Over time, the PBH
programme will grow to a fleet of
more than 50 A319 aircraft.
Deepak Sharma, president, AAR
International Supply Chain, said: “Just
as Volotea caters to individual passengers’ unique needs, AAR is nimble
enough to cater to Volotea’s unique
component needs at a price that allows them to remain competitive.”
May 15, 2016
3
UTC Aerospace Systems expands with new manufacturing site
U
TC Aerospace Systems announced that it is expanding its
existing footprint in Foley, Alabama
by adding a new manufacturing and
nacelle assembly facility that is estimated to bring 260 new jobs to Baldwin
County.
UTC Aerospace Systems, a unit of
United Technologies Corporation, is one
of Alabama’s largest aerospace manufacturers as measured by number of
employees and makes products such as
the Airbus A380 landing gear.
The new 80,000 square-foot building
will house the assembly of nacelle components and propulsion system integration. The new facility will support the
manufacture of the Airbus A320 for both
the current engine option and eventually, when implemented, the NEO.
Integrated A320 family propulsion
systems will be delivered from the new
facility to the Airbus final assembly
line in Mobile, about an hour away. In
addition, the site will provide support
for other airplane platforms equipped
with the Pratt & Whitney PurePower
PW1000G Geared Turbofan engine
including the Bombardier CSeries, the
Embraer E2 and Mitsubishi Regional Jet.
The Foley facility is a leader in UTC
Aerospace Systems’ drive to operate the
most efficient factories in the industry
through its relentless application of continuous improvement principles. UTC
Aerospace Systems’ Aerostructures business currently operates two co-located
facilities in Foley: a 220,000-square foot
original equipment plant employing approximately 600 people and an adjacent
210,000-square foot maintenance, repair
and overhaul (MRO) facility employing
approximately 200 people.
“This expansion is a great opportunity to expand our ability to apply our
innovative nacelle technology to one of
the world’s most popular airplanes,” said
Marc Duvall, president of UTC Aerospace
Systems’ Aerostructures business.
“We chose Foley to expand because of its proven track record of
performance, our desire to be near a
key customer, and the tremendous
cooperation we’ve had from the state,
county and the city. We have more
experience than anyone in integrating
the nacelle system to the engine and
the airplane,” said Duvall.
Construction of the new facility will
take about a year, with opening slated
for the second quarter of 2017. UTC said
employment will ramp up as customer
requirements grow.
Bombardier Signs SWISS as Launch Customer
A
fter two years of successfully
using the Inventory Management
Service Airbus (AMI acronym), Aeroman, MRO provider in El Salvador, will
continue to benefit from the advantages of this program. AMI is a customized
solution Satair Group, a subsidiary of
Airbus, designed for optimal inventory
management that ensures availability
and automatic replacement of worn
and not repairable aircraft in facilities
Aeroman parts, while maintaining
a level of inventory according to the
customer needs.
In its modern facilities located in the
El Salvador International Airport, Aeroman provides a wide range of maintenance services to the operators of the
A320 Family United States, Mexico,
Central America and South America.
After two years of experience working
with the AMI service, Aeroman has
decided to continue cooperating with
4
May 15, 2016
Satair Group to expand the scope of
this service.
“The AMI service has helped us optimize the supply chain of the airline
industry by reducing administrative
costs and expediting orders for our
customers,” said Edison Viteri, Director
of Supply Chain Aeroman. He added:
“With this tool we have managed to
reduce ad hoc requests while we have
improved service for our customers
through optimal inventory planning.
High availability of parts AMI provides
service reduces both the time the
aircraft on the ground as the inventory
level, a key factor to offer a maintenance service first class “.
Paul Lochab, CCO of Satair Group said:
“Satair Group offers the best tailored solutions designed for the requirements of
the supply chain, and AMI is an excellent
example. Logistics and inventory management are key aspects in the aviation
industry requiring maximum attention,
and AMI management leads to a higher
level. It is a pleasure to celebrate these
first two years of service with Aeroman
AMI, and we hope that our relationship
will continue for many more years. “
With 2,400 employees in El Salvador, Central America, and more than
30 years of experience in the aviation
industry, is leading Aeroman maintenance, avionics and cabin aircraft modernization. Recently, Aeroman has built
its fifth hangar intended for wide-body
aircraft. .
www.mrobusinesstoday.com
Vector Aerospace Opens Engine Test
Cell in Canada
V
ector Aerospace Corporation,
a global independent provider
of aviation maintenance, repair and
overhaul (MRO) services, is delighted to
announce the grand opening of a new
engine test cell at its Summerside facility in Prince Edward Island, Canada.
This new multimillion dollar test cell,
which was the result of a financing
partnership with provincial and federal
governments, is capable of supporting turboprop engines producing up to
5,000 shaft horsepower. It joins three
existing test stands at Summerside,
two dedicated to turboprops and one
to turbofans. The new cell will expand
Vector’s local test capacity on turboprop
models supported from the Summerside overhaul facility, such as the Pratt
& Whitney Canada PT6A and PW100
series, thus minimizing turn-around
times (TATs) for its customers globally
and supporting further market share
growth.
“The Government of Canada supports
the continued growth and innovation of
the aerospace industry across Canada.
Companies like Vector Aerospace compete on a global scale, and their continued success means a stronger economy
and good jobs here at home,” said the
Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister
of Innovation, Science and Economic
Development and Minister Responsible
for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities
Agency (ACOA).
“This is a great day for Vector and for
the economy of Prince Edward Island.
I’m proud that both ACOA and the Summerside Regional Development Corporation played roles in the creation of this
facility, helping Vector to be the best
at what they do, right here in Slemon
Park,” said Bobby Morrissey, Member of
Parliament for Egmont.
“Since starting in 1991 as an anchor
tenant at Slemon Park with a dozen
employees, Vector Aerospace has grown
into the province’s second-largest
private employer and the driving force
behind our aerospace sector,” said the
TEXL gains GE TRUEngine authorization
T
aikoo Engine Services Xiamen (TEXL) has
become the GE90 overhaul provider to win GE Aviation’s TRUEngine authorisation.
According to TEXL’s parent group HAECO “the TRUEngine MRO designation represents the highest level of
quality and technical excellence.”
Kevin McAllister, president and CEO of GE Aviation,
services, said: “TEXL plays an important role in helping
satisfy increasing demand for GE90 overhauls in one of
the fastest-growing regions in the world.”
Since being established in July 2008 as a joint venture,
TEXL has carried out more than 300 GE90 engine repairs.
Five parties now hold a share in TEXL after GE purchased a 9.9 per cent stake in the firm in November 2014
www.mrobusinesstoday.com
Honourable Heath MacDonald, Prince
Edward Island Minister of Economic Development and Tourism. “This expansion
will further enhance Vector’s sterling
reputation around the world and help
further the province’s commitment to
developing our exports, growing our
economy, and creating sustained prosperity for Islanders.”
“This new test cell will dovetail well
with our existing test stands at our
world-class Summerside facility,” said
Jeff Poirier, President of Vector’s Engine
Services - Atlantic division. “The addition of this computer-controlled test
cell demonstrates our dedication to our
customers around the world. This investment also reinforces our long-term commitment to the Summerside facility and
our local workforce, as a major employer
here on Prince Edward Island.”
The Summerside facility is celebrating
its 25th anniversary this year. It has been
providing world-class engine MRO services since 1991, and today employs over
450 skilled workers at the location.
Vector’s presence on PEI generates
valuable revenue for the local economy
through its workforce and supply chain,
and the company also works closely
with local higher education establishments, including Holland College and
the University of Prince Edward Island.
FAA certifies PW1400G-JM for MC-21
T
he FAA has certified the
Pratt & Whitney PurePower
PW1400G-JM engine to power
Irkut’s MC-21 aircraft scheduled
for a 2017 delivery.
The certification is the
third Geared Turbofan engine
variant to get certification from
the US regulator.
To date, Pratt said that the
PurePower engine family has
completed more than 58,000
cycles and 35,000 hours of
testing.
“The engine increases
the competitiveness of our
aircraft since it offers tangible
cost savings to our airline
customers due to the enhanced
fuel burn efficiency while
simultaneously benefitting
the environment.” said Oleg
Demchenko, president of
Russia’s Irkut.
May 15, 2016
5
JETS Biggin Hill MRO gains ASC
extension from Dassault
J
ETS Biggin Hill has gained a new
five-year extension approval as a
Dassault authorised service centre for
the Falcon 900 and 2000 business jets
series. The company is currently expanding their maintenance capability.
Growing market demand for minimum down-time for hard-working busi-
ness jet aircraft has also enabled JETS to
introduce a seven-day a week, 12 hours
per day shift pattern for the engineering
department. This will provide for customers a full maintenance service from
7am to 7pm during 364 days of the year.
The company is introducing a dedicated AOG / Line maintenance support
Comlux America opens expanded widebody
completions hangar
unit. Equipped with a fully equipped
response vehicle, JETS can now provide
maintenance at short notice and around
the clock. The AOG service is not only
available within UK and throughout Europe, but the team can reach customers
in the Middle East to return an aircraft
to immediate service or arrange a ferry
to a maintenance base.
“British aeronautical engineers provide
a stamp of quality and JETS is now
moving into a strong position to meet
customer expectations with satisfaction.”
Paula Hutchison, general manager at
JETS, added: “British aeronautical engineers provide a stamp of quality and
JETS is now moving into a strong position to meet customer expectations with
satisfaction. As a company, we welcome
the extension of airport operating hours
recently agreed for Biggin Hill and anticipate that this situation will, in turn,
help to further build new business and
create new jobs opportunities.”
As well as approval for Dassault aircraft, JETS holds maintenance approvals
for Bombardier, Cessna, Hawker and
Dornier aircraft.
AMETEK
Elects Brian A.
Hoffmann as VP &
GM, MRO
A
C
omlux America, the US aircraft
completions and service centre arm
of the Comlux Group, has opened its hangar extension in Indianapolis, a year after
it broke ground on the new building.
The project has expanded the footprint
of the VIP maintenance, repair and overhaul facility from 11,900m² (128,000ft²)
to 14,600m², “which means the hangar
can now house one widebody airliner
[such as an Airbus A340-600 or Boeing
747-800] and up to four narrowbodies
simultaneously,” says Comlux.
Work on the inaugural widebody, an
6
May 15, 2016
Airbus ACJ330, is under way, with delivery of the VVIP airliner to its unnamed
owner scheduled for the fourth quarter
of 2017. “This aircraft will be the 12th VIP
completion for Comlux America,” says
the company, which is also outfitting a
Boeing Business Jet and a Sukhoi Business Jet at the site.
Comlux is a relative newcomer to the
VIP airliner completions market. It made
its first foray into the sector in 2012, four
years after its acquisition of Indianapolis
Jet Center – an MRO faciltiy for Bombardier Challenger-series business jets.
METEK, Inc. recently announced that the Board of
Directors has elected Brian A.
Hoffmann as Vice President and
General Manager of the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO)
Division within AMETEK Aerospace & Defense.
“I am pleased to announce
Brian’s promotion to Vice President and General Manager. Brian
brings extensive general management experience, as well as strong
operational and engineering
expertise to his new position. We
expect him to play a key role in
the continued growth and success
of our aerospace MRO business,”
commented David A. Zapico, Chief
Executive Officer.
www.mrobusinesstoday.com
THAI to cash in on technical services
C
halermpon Intarawong,
executive vice president of the
technical department, told The Nation
that according to the strategic plan, the
department has improved its operating
processes to lower cost while expanding
services to increase revenue.
With over 50 years of experiences,
THAI is one of the leaders in the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of
commercial aircraft.
Its technical department has over
3,000 staff providing integrated services
- line maintenance, light and heavy
maintenance, component and engine
overhaul including tools & equipment
calibration services through three major
maintenance facilities - Don Mueang,
U-tapao and Suvarnabhumi.
THAI earlier signed a memorandum of
understanding with Air France KLM Engineering & Maintenance for a feasibility study on joint investment in maintenance of aircraft components. THAI also
signed a MoU with a European MRO
leader for collaboration on maintenance
of aircraft-related components.
“The department will submit a study
on the joint venture with Air France
KLM Engineering & Maintenance to
the THAI board of directors this month
for consideration. If approved, it will be
the first joint venture for THAI’s aircraft
maintenance service. Air France KLM
Engineering and Maintenance will bring
customers’ works in the region, technologies and funding while THAI will
invest in facilities and equipment,” said
Chalermpon.
In addition, the technical department
is considering an approach by the major
regional low-cost carrier to perform
maintenance services on their A320 and
A330 aircraft at Don Mueang Airport.
Once it proves to be a |success, the THAI
technical department will serve at least
|120 A320 aircraft totally.
One of the Asian MRO leaders from
Singapore has expressed an interest in
expanding its capacity at U-tapao. This
Asian MRO leader is also considering
choosing THAI as maintenance base for
some of its potential customers including A320 aircraft of Japan’s air carrier.
Chalermpon said that Airbus is also
interested in forming a partnership with
THAI. This modern centre is scheduled
for opening this September, which
will be the first A350 training centre in
Asean.
Moreover, Airbus has considered THAI
to become an Airbus-approved sup-
CFM’s Leap-1B gets FAA and EASA
certification
C
FM International
confirmed that its LEAP-1B
engine has been awarded type
certification by the FAA and
EASA.
The approval by the regulators paves the way for the
engine’s entry into service in
2017 powering the 737MAX
aircraft.
The engine was part of the
737MAX’s first test flight at
the end of January 2016 and
since then two more engines
have been added to the test
programme.
“This is another great milestone for the LEAP programme
and the hard-working team
www.mrobusinesstoday.com
behind it,” said Allen Paxson,
executive vice-president for
CFM.
“Everyone, from the project
and engineering teams to
manufacturing and our suppliers, has done an incredible job
of keeping this programme on
schedule and building an engine that is delivering everything that we have promised.”
plier, providing MRO of A380 aircraft for
Airbus’ customers.
Airbus has a strong intention to enhance the capability of THAI’s Technical
Department to provide an aircraft heavy
maintenace checks C-2 and C-3 of A380
and other Airbus aircraft in THAI’s fleet.
Not just aircraft, Airbus also considered to certify THAI as its approved
supplier for the MRO of components. At
Suvarnabhumi, THAI has three hangar
bays for A380-size aircraft.
“New partnerships with OEMs are
among the challenges for MROs. OEMs
such as Boeing, Airbus and Rolls-Royce
are making big inroads into traditional
third-party MRO markets through their
after-market support,” he said.
Besides Thailand, THAI provides line
maintenance to carriers in Cambodia,
Laos, Myanmar, India, Pakistan and
Nepal.
This year, the department expects that
the overseas service can generate Bt2.7
billion in revenue compared to Bt2.4 billion last year.
Silverfleet acquires Sigma
Components
E
uropean private
equity firm Silverfleet Capital has agreed
to acquire a majority stake
in commercial aircraft parts
specialist Sigma Components for £65m ($94.2m).
The deal is expected to
be completed by the end
of the month for Sigma,
which operates from four
sites in the UK and two
facilities in China engineering and manufacturing
components for customers including Rolls-Royce,
Safran, Airbus, Bombardier
and BAE Systems.
Mark Johnson, CEO of
Sigma, said Silverfleet’s
acquisition will help
support the firm’s next
phase of growth. “We have
identified some exciting
opportunities for broadening our manufacturing
capabilities and developing
our relationships with new
and existing customers and
look forward to taking the
business to the next level,”
said Johnson.
May 15, 2016
7
DART Aerospace Approved Maintenance Center
Network is Expanding to Australia and New Zealand
D
ART Aerospace expands customers’ reach by establishing its new
Approved Maintenance Center (AMC)
network in Australasia to offer very
competitive aftermarket solutions.
After six years of working with an exclusive distributor in that region, DART
will now service the market directly.
Helicopter operators and private owners
in this region now have the option to
deal directly with their local Approved
Maintenance Center (AMC) or with
DART’s corporate office. “The launch of
the AMC Network in Australasia will al-
low quality proximity service from multiple key partners,” says Alain Madore,
DART’s Vice President of Commercial
Operations and Aftermarket Services.
“The change in our sales channel for
Australasia will allow DART to take our
customer relationships to the next level”.
DART welcomes its new AMC partners
in Australasia: Airwork (NZ) Ltd, Eagle
Copters Australasia Pty Ltd, Hawker
Pacific Pty Ltd (Australia), Helibiz Pty,
Helisupport NZ Ltd, Heliwork QLD Pty
Ltd, Pacific Crown Helicopters Pty Ltd,
and Yungur Aviation Services Pvt Ltd.
With this expanded presence, DART
gives small- and medium-sized helicopter operators and private owners in
Australia, New Zealand and surrounding
countries regional access to dedicated
partners that are qualified to offer DART
aftermarket solutions. AMC partners are
also able to offer their customers highly
competitive terms.
“These highly trained and qualified
AMC partners in Australasia can now
offer the best parts and maintenance
solutions available without having to go
through an additional distribution layer,
and at a significant cost savings to their
customers.” says Alain Madore. “Don’t
hesitate to ask your closest AMC about
the new DART products.”
DART launched its North American
AMC Network branch in January 2016
and is looking forward to grow its
Australasia customers’ reach through
its new partnerships. Members of this
select network are leaders in their
regions and were carefully selected by
DART for their market reach and quality
of service. Additional AMC partners will
be announced soon in Europe, Latin
America, the Middle East and Asia.
Eastman Turbo Oil 2197 and 2380 receives approval for
CFM LEAP-1A Engines
E
astman Chemical Company
announced that it has received
approval from engine manufacturer CFM International for Eastman Turbo Oil 2197 and 2380 use
in the CFM* LEAP-1A engine, one
of the two options for the Airbus
A320neo.
This latest approval is another
testament to Eastman’s proven
product portfolio that continues
to be widely approved across existing
engine platforms. Eastman Turbo Oils
remain adept at enabling innovation,
safety and efficiency within the engine
market and aviation industry and are
differentiated by their superior performance such as High Thermal Stability
(HTS).
Manufacturer-conducted CFM LEAP-
8
May 15, 2016
1A engine tests using Eastman Turbo
Oil 2197 and 2380 confirmed positive
lubrication system performance, oil
sample results and lube system diagnostics as expected. The performance
during this testing resulted in Eastman
Aviation Solutions receiving approval
on Eastman Turbo Oil 2197 and 2380
from CFM International for use with
LEAP-1A engines.
“We are proud to have approval
for the new CFM LEAP-1A engines,
which will be used on the Airbus
A320neo. This approval continues
our strong heritage to provide
our customers, the airlines, with
the choice of proven products and
performance attributes that create
strong value for their operations.”
said Mahendra Dorairaj, general
manager of Specialty Fluids and
Energy, Eastman Aviation Solutions.
Eastman Turbo Oil 2197 is designed
to exceed the demands of current and
future jet engines and is by far the most
widely used HTS fleet oil in the world.
Qualified to MIL-PRF-23699 HTS Class
and SAE AS5780 HPC Class, Eastman
Turbo Oil 2197 has logged over 350 million hours of operation in the past two
decades.
www.mrobusinesstoday.com
Malaysia Airlines en route to
profitability, declares COO
Boeing-Equipped Training
Center Opens
B
M
alaysia Airlines is on
course to return to profitability based on its restructuring
master plan, the recently appointed
Malaysia Airlines Bhd (MAB) executive director Peter Bellew said.
“We will fix MAB. I have been here
for eight months now and I have
never had a moment of doubt about
this,” he said.
He also said MAB was working towards improving sales and revealed that
things were “improving quite rapidly”.
“A lot of operational things are
also coming together quite well,
like on-time performance, ” he said,
citing the airlines improved performance in delivering bags on time.
On a separate issue, Bellew re-
vealed that US-based Aircraft Propeller Service LLC was expected to form
a partnership with MAB to establish
a maintenance, repair and overhaul
(MRO) centre for ATR’s turboprop
propellers in Kuala Lumpur.
The centre, he explained, would
be the first in the Asia-Pacific region
and it would be based at MAB’s MRO
hub at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang.
Bellew said the facility was expected to start operations later this
year, starting with minor repair and
maintenance works.
“We plan to expand the operation
into major repair and maintenance
works, including the propeller blades,
in the second half of next year.”
oeing has equipped the U.S. Navy’s new P-8
Maintenance Training Facility with a suite of
realistic, interactive training systems, another key
step in the services’ efforts to fully integrate the
aircraft into the fleet.
Based at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fla., the
center alloows the Navy to provide immersive
training for those maintaining P-8A Poseidon aircraft around the world. The virtual maintenance
training devices provide interactive, high-fidelity
simulations based on actual mission systems
software, while the hardware-based trainers are
full-scale replicas of aircraft components.
Navy maintainers will learn more than 1,000
procedures using seven virtual maintenance
trainers, 14 hardware-based devices and an ordnance load trainer. The realistic training speeds
familiarity with the aircraft and its systems, enabling them to quickly become proficient in both
preventive, corrective and diagnostic tasks.
“Our new P-8A Maintenance Training Facility
will provide the fleet with qualified technicians
equipped with the skills and knowledge needed
to keep the P-8A aircraft flying for many years to
come.” said Robert Powden, department head of
the U.S. Navy’s P-8A maintenance training unit.
Jet Aviation Basel refurbishes first Legacy 650
J
et Aviation has refurbished its
first Embraer Legacy 650 business
jet on behalf of a private owner. The
project was undertaken at the business aviation services provider’s completions centre in Basel, Switzerland,
during its scheduled C-check heavy
maintenance inspection. The largecabin business jet has since been
sold to Johannesburg-headquartered
company Planair Enterprises.
The refurbishment included a
full-carpet replacement, seat and divan
re-upholstery, wood repairs, re-covering
of the dado panels, new flooring in the
galley and a full exterior repaint, says
Jet Aviation. The Basel facility is the only
www.mrobusinesstoday.com
service centre in Europe that is authorised
to perform the full suite of MRO services
on Embraer business jets, including Part
21 design organisation and interior work,
it adds.
According to Flightglobal’s Fleets
Analyzer database, there are around
90 Legacy 650s in service globally.
The Rolls-Royce AE3007-A2-powered
aircraft was introduced in 2009 as
an extended-range version of the
14-year-old ERJ-135-derived Legacy
600.
Meanwhile, Jet Aviation’s facility
in St Louis, Illinois, is to install for the
first time Honeywell’s JetWave satellite communications terminals in a
Bombardier Global Express. The project
will be undertaken as part of a major
refurbishment contract for the long-range
business jet and will provide passengers
with much faster high-speed connectivity
during flight.
May 15, 2016
9
AAR gearing up for Middle East
MRO venture
R
ahul Shah, the company’s Senior
Vice President, Asia Pacific, Middle
East and Africa, said the company is
looking to increase its international
portfolio from its current 35% of its
total business to 50% within three
years. The expansion, he says, will
include an MRO joint venture, as well
as joint ventures for landing gear and
component overhaul services. “We are
in dialogue with various airlines and
facilities,” he said.
Shah says the company is looking to
leverage its success in supply chain initiatives achieved through its contract
with Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Military
Maintenance Repair and Overhaul
Center (AMMROC). AAR has supported
the design, outfitting and integration
of key areas of AMMROC’s state-ofthe-art facility in Al Ain, the emirate’s second city. The US $38.6 million
contract saw AAR design support areas
including hangars, work stations and
machine and special process shops for
the military maintenance center which
will open later this year. AAR last year
relocated its Middle East regional office
to Abu Dhabi’s World Trade Center.
Middle East’s defence industry is a
key target for AAR’s planned growth,
particularly in the Gulf where defence
budgets are the world’s fastest-rising
notching up 8% growth a year. The
company has also just begun work on
a five-year, US $72 million Complete
Logistics Support (CLS) Foreign Military Sales contract to sustain a C-130H
aircraft fleet on behalf of the Afghan
Air Force.
Shah says AAR will focus on delivering performance-based logistics for
the military sector and developing
OEM distribution as an integrator for
the civil sector focussing on powerby-the-hour contract for airlines in
the Middle East and Africa. “We are
currently bidding on three contracts in
the region,” he said.
“We are in dialogue with various airlines and facilities. We have to, to stay
competitive and to reach our aim of
becoming number one in the business
by leveraging our
expertise in planning and forecasting for inventory
management.”
D
10
May 15, 2016
T
rueAero has hired Dan Barton
as Manager of Airframe & Engine
Material. Dan will be responsible for Airframe & Engine end of life management
including teardown, sales and repair
vendor management.
TrueAero is a diversified, worldwide
aviation services company providing
aftermarket support, parts and logistics
solutions to airlines and MRO’s worldwide.
TrueAero focuses on the sourcing
and supply of commercial airframe
and engine material while providing
aircraft end of life solutions in support of
airlines, MRO’s, leasing companies and
financial institutions worldwide.
“I’m very fortunate and excited to be
able to pair my diverse background and
experience with TrueAero’s product offering of Airframe and Engine material.
We will continue to deliver the quality
product our customers expect.”-Dan
Barton.
CTS Engines named the
“supplier of the year” 2015
Boeing
T
Delta orders 37 A321 aircraft, selects
CFM56-5B engines
elta Air Lines has placed an
order for an additional 37 A321ceo
aircraft and has chosen the CFM56-5B
engine option to power the jets.
The A321 order is earmarked to replace some of Delta’s older narrowbodies including the MD-88 and delivery
of the new aircraft will begin in 2017
through to 2019.
The agreement also includes a five-
TrueAero Hires Dan Barton
as Manager of Airframe &
Engine Material
year material support contract for the
CFM56-5B/-7B engines in the Delta
fleet, adding to the 126 CFM International engines powering its A319 and
A320 aircraft.
The order for the Airbus narrowbody and the CFM engines follows the
Atlanta-based carrier confirming that
it had committed to 125 CSeries aircraft
from Bombardier.
he CTS Engines, the global leader in
maintaining seasoned engine services,
announced it was named a “supplier of
the year” 2015 Boeing in the category Support and Services for its engine overhaul
support CF6 fleet E-4B of force US air.
“We are so excited that we have no
words to receive this award from a
consumer of high-level agreement,”
said Brian Neff, the executive director
of CTS. “All of us here at CTS recognize
the profound significance of this award
from Boeing and the critical importance
of the fundamental mission of the
consumer. It is a great honor to receive
this award, and is recognition of the
excellent CTS value proposition in the
seasoned engine market. “
CTS Engines was one of 12 companies
to receive one of the annual awards. In
2015, Boeing spent $ 62 billion with more
than 13,000 suppliers in 47 countries.
The components and assemblies provided by the supplier comprise 65% of
the cost of Boeing products.
www.mrobusinesstoday.com
StandardAero Component Services Further Expands/
Invests in Component Repair Capabilities
S
tandardAero has completed a major wave of investment and expansion
for its aerospace component repair capabilities at the company’s facilities located
in Winnipeg, Canada and Cincinnati, Ohio.
The company’s Winnipeg facility has
opened a state-of-the-art plating cell
with chrome, nickel, cadmium, silver, tin
and copper capabilities. This expands
on other extensive component repair
capabilities including platinum alu-
minide coatings, fluoride ion cleaning,
cold metal transfer and laser welding,
cladding and drilling. The facility is also
actively industrializing time sensitive
book repairs as well as co-developing
new OEM approved repairs to lower
operators’ maintenance costs.
Meanwhile, StandardAero’s Cincinnati facility has committed to growing
employment and multi-million dollar
investments in new equipment, includ-
Jazz Aviation wins Air Georgian CRJ
contract
J
azz Aviation LP (“Jazz”) announced
that it has signed a five-year heavy
maintenance agreement with Air Georgian
Limited of Mississauga, Ontario. Under this
contract Jazz’s Heavy Maintenance business will perform the heavy maintenance
repair and overhaul requirements for Air
Georgian’s fleet of CRJ100 and CRJ200 aircraft. The work will be carried out at Jazz’s
Heavy Maintenance facility at the Halifax
Stanfield International Airport in Halifax,
Nova Scotia, and is expected to commence
in the summer of 2016.
“We are very pleased that Air Georgian has chosen Jazz heavy maintenance as its CRJ100/200 repair and
overhaul provider,” said Colin Copp,
President, Jazz. “Jazz is well recognized in
the industry as a high quality maintenance operator with skilled technicians
and unmatched experience with Bombardier regional aircraft. This agreement represents a meaningful business
opportunity to generate incremental
www.mrobusinesstoday.com
revenue and to strengthen our competitive edge by reducing unit costs through
organic growth.”
In the coming months, Jazz will further strengthen its market competitiveness by transitioning its heavy maintenance business to a separate division
of Jazz. The new division, to be named
Jazz Technical Services, will focus on the
heavy maintenance, repair and overhaul
of Bombardier aircraft. This dedicated
focus will enable it to offer customers a
disciplined, cost-management approach.
It will also provide operational benefits
and cost efficiencies, thereby creating
opportunities to grow beyond the work
it does today for Jazz.
ing cold spray technologies, and facility
expansion.
Recently, at the 2016 MRO Americas
conference and exhibition held in Dallas,
Texas, StandardAero received the “Top
Shop” award from OneAero MRO as the
industry’s leading Engine Component
Repair Shop. This is the second year in a
row that StandardAero has received this
honor and all winners of the Top Shop
Awards are nominated and ultimately
selected by their peers in the aviation
industry. OneAero MRO tabulates all the
nominations to create a “short list” of finalists. The finalists are then selected by
a panel of 20 airlines and suppliers from
around the world, based on superior
customer support, excellent turnaround
times and competitive repair pricing.
“We work hard every day, on every
order, to earn our customers’ business.
Winning the Top Shop award again is a
great honor but it would not have been
possible without our customers’ support.
In addition, we are investing further to
improve our turn time and lower our
customers’ repair costs,” said Rick Stine,
President of StandardAero Components,
Helicopters & Accessories.
Veteran Aircraft Maintenance
Technician Petre Liliac Joins
Spirit Aeronautics
S
pirit Aeronautics, a world class
leader in business aircraft services, is
proud to announce that veteran aircraft
maintenance technician Petre Liliac
has joined the Spirit team as an Aircraft
Maintenance Lead Technician.
“We are very pleased to add someone
of Petre’s caliper and skills to our team”,
said Tony Bailey, President & COO. “His
abilities and experience complement
our existing staff and provide the extra
leadership and floor level talent we
wanted to support our growth in maintenance activities performed at Spirit. He
is a much respected professional in the
aviation industry and is an incredible addition to our organization!”
May 15, 2016
11
New Chief Technical Officer for AJW
Aviation
A
JW Aviation appoints David
Lewis, as Chief Technical Officer
continuing the organisation’s commitment to the recruitment of highly
experienced professionals to take the
growth and development of the business worldwide to greater heights.
He will be responsible for: technical
standards and best practices across all
divisions of the business, specifically
MRO, reliability, warranty and inventory management for customer’s technical spares support programmes, aircraft
maintenance, engine management
and asset health monitoring; guiding aircraft teardown and end of lease
management reconciliations, as well
as service level agreements with AJW’s
approved repair vendors.
Christopher Whiteside, President –
Norwest Equity Partners Invests in West
Star Aviation
N
orwest Equity Partners
(“NEP”), a leading middle market
investment firm founded in 1961, has
made a significant investment in West
Star Aviation, one of the world’s largest
and fastest growing independent providers of maintenance, repair and overhaul
(“MRO”) and related support services to
the business aviation industry.
West Star prides itself on a customerfirst business model specializing in airframe repair and maintenance, landing
gear modifications and overhauls, avionics upgrades and installation, interior refurbishment, paint, and spare part sales.
West Star is an attractive investment opportunity for NEP for a variety of reasons,
including the current attractive market
dynamics for both newer in-warranty
and older, out-of-warranty aircraft.
“On behalf of the entire West Star team,
we are confident that our new partnership
with NEP will help us successfully achieve
our next level of growth. Our operating
12
May 15, 2016
philosophy will remaing grounded in our
strong technical expertise, experienced
employees, attention to detail and focus
on customer service,” said West Star Aviation CEO Robert Rasberry.
Tim DeVries, NEP Managing General
Partner, stated, “West Star’s solid business model and industry-leading management team have helped to establish
extremely high barriers to entry within
the business aviation market.West Star
has done a great job to earn a global
reputation as a highly-valued, ‘go-to’
MRO services provider, and we’re going
to work hard to leverage their existing
growth momentum along with our
combined NEP capital and resources to
further build and grow the Company.”
Todd Solow, NEP Partner, shared, “From
expanding service capabilities and facilities to key contracts and strategic growth
initiatives, West Star is well-positioned
for continued success. The right team is
also in place to help lead the way.”
AJW Group, highlights Lewis’ ability to
work collaboratively across airline teams
in multi-cultural environments, and
his in-depth experience of regulatory
authorities. “David is a proven leader
with a high level of technical and commercial competence. As an organisation
focused on the provision of continuous improvement in aviation support
services that embody safety, quality and
efficiency – we appreciate the knowledge and experience that he can bring.
AJW is a firm believer is self-motivation
and David’s previous career path amply
demonstrates that he has the ability
to envision and implement the services that our customers need, or solve
their operational problems. He will be
responsible for our repair, technical and
customer services teams, sharing his
analytical and evaluative skills alongside
insider understanding of airline MRO
challenges.”
Lewis will report directly to Boris Wolstenholme, CEO – AJW Aviation and will
work closely with the senior management team. He joins the organisation
on 9th May and will be based at AJW’s
corporate headquarters in the UK.
Include Salem airport
under RCS
T
he Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Salem)
has urged the Union Ministry of Civil
Aviation to accord priority to reviving Salem Airport under its proposed
Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS).
In a memorandum to R. N. Choubey,
Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, K.
Mariappan, president of the Chamber,
thanked the Ministry for taking steps for
reviving the un-served dormant airports
by introducing new civil aviation policy.
The petition also pleaded for maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO)
facilities at Salem airport.
The Chamber representatives had
discussions with the private sector
airlines that are getting MRO services
at Bengaluru. They are prepared to
get MRO services at Salem airport. He
urged the Ministry to provide necessary illumination at Salem airport for
night operations and also for the MRO
services.
www.mrobusinesstoday.com
HAL to manufacture Russian military helicopters
H
industan Aeronautics Ltd
is set to include the participation
of its 4,000-plus vendors across the
country, to help execute the contract to
manufacture the Russian Kamov military helicopters which is .estimated to
cost over $1 billion.
Russia and India had agreed to jointly
produce about 200 Ka-226T helicopters to replace the Cheetah and Chetak
Choppers under the Centre’s ‘Make in
India’ initiative. An agreement to this
effect was signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Moscow in
December 2015.
Sources said sixty aircraft will be supplied to be assembled in India, while the
remaining 140 are planned to be manufactured at Indian production facilities.
Sources added that though it is
an inter-government deal drawn on
the same lines as the earlier Russian
Sukhoi-30-MKI fighter jets, Hindustan
Aeronautics Limited (HAL) was chosen
to manufacture the helicopters for the
Indian armed forces given its previous
experience in making copters.
A senior HAL official, speaking to BusinessLine on the condition of anonymity,
said a decision had not yet been taken
on the location to manufacture the copters. “Discussions are on to manufacture
the Ka-226T in Nashik, Maharashtra,
though Bengaluru happens to be the
main ground for manufacturing helicopters. Bengaluru has the wherewithal
and the necessary manpower. However,
all Russian production is done out of
Nashik,” said the official.
HAL has developed a “separate
township in Nashik for manufacturing
Russian defence contracts. This does not
include helicopters,” said the official.
The manufacturing unit for the Ka-226T
helicopters was slated to come up at
Tumakuru near Bengaluru, which was
primarily set up to manufacture and undertake MRO activities for indigenously
designed and developed light utility
helicopter and other helicopters.
The official said HAL has never
manufactured helicopters with Russian collaboration. “All our joint Russian
production has been fixed wing. Now,
we have to learn to collaborate on rotary
wing,” said the official, adding that it
brought its own set of issues.
With each helicopter set to have “230
different parts”, HAL is looking at “mission collaboration” and is set to outsource the work to its Indian vendors.
“We have 4,000-plus vendors across
the country. We will work with our suppliers and vendors to build individual
hardware,” confirmed the HAL official.
The Russian-Indian joint venture
includes holdings of Rosoboronexport,
Russian Helicopters, and HAL.
Though HAL is Russia’s main partner in the project, Rosoboronexport
recently announced it would also pick
other Indian firms to participate in the
project.
Viktor Kladov, Director for International Cooperation and Regional Policy
of the Russian State Corporation Rostec,
said the production of Russia’s Kamov
Ka-226T in India may begin in 2017.
India’s Reliance Defence partners with three Ukrainian
firms for military aircraft
R
eliance Defence has collaborated
with three Ukrainian firms to manufacture a range of military and commercial transport aircraft.
The partner companies include
Ukraine state-owned Ukroboronprom,
Spetstechno Export and Antonov.
Reliance and Antonov will bid for the
Medium Military Transport Aircraft programme of the Hindustan Aeronautics
Limited (HAL).
The Reliance-Antonov partnership
will take responsibility for the assembly,
manufacture and maintenance, repair
and overhaul (MRO) of aircraft.
www.mrobusinesstoday.com
Under the deal with Spetstechno Export, the BMP 2 armoured vehicle will be
modernised for the Indian Army.
Other armoured vehicles, unmanned
aerial vehicles (UAV) and marine gas
turbines will also be upgraded for the
Indian Navy Frigate programme.
HAL expects up to 300 aircraft will be
manufactured.
The development could mark the
largest collaborative effort involving the
public sector, private sector and a global
original equipment manufacturer (OEM)
under the Make in India and Skill India
initiatives.
Reliance Defence recently obtained 15
industrial licences to produce technology, including heavy weapons, armoured
vehicles, ammunition, electronic warfare
systems, UAVs and directed energy
weapon systems.
May 15, 2016
13
international
events
EVENT
DATE
COUNTRY
EBACE
24 - 26, May, 2016
31 May, 2016
1-2, June, 2016
1 - 4, June, 2016
Geneva, Switzerland
London, UK
London, UK
Berlin, Germany
8-9, June, 2016
Prague, Czech Republic
14 - 16, June, 2016
Shanghai, China
Aero-Engines Europe
11 – 17 July,2016
20 - 23 August, 2016
14-15 Sept, 2016
Farnborough, UK
Atlanta, GA, USA
Lisbon, Portugal
12th Maintenance Cost Conference
(MCC)
14-15 Sept, 2016
Bangkok, Thailand
16th Annual Aviation Industry
Suppliers Conference
19 – 21 Sept, 2016
Toulouse, France
MRO Europe
25-27 Sept, 2016
27-29, Sept, 2016
18-20 Oct, 2016
Barcelona, Spain
Singapore
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Airline Engineering & Maintenance:
North America
26-27 Oct, 2016
Charlotte, NC, USA
Aircraft Interiors Expo Asia
25-27 Oct, 2016
Singapore
Airline Engineering & Maintenance:
Central, Eastern & Southern Europe
16-17 Nov, 2016
Zagreb, Croatia
Airline Engineering & Maintenance:
Asia Pacific
Nov, 2016
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
ap&m Summit
ap&m Europe
ILA Berlin Air Show
MRO BEER
Baltics, Eastern Europe & Russia
3rd Shanghai International MRO
Exhibition
Farnborough Airshow
ACPC
ISTAT Europe
MRO Asia-Pacific 2016
NewsDesk: [email protected]
Info: [email protected]
14
May 15, 2016
www.mrobusinesstoday.com