Aftermarket parts distributor Globalparts.aero (Booth No. 3215) of Augusta, Kan. announced a corporate rebranding that emphasizes major enhancements to its business, including the establishment of an FAA Part 145 repair station and a new build-to-print parts manufacturing center equipped with computer numerically controlled (CNC) machines. “These moves allow us to broaden the support of our worldwide base of OEM, business, charter and regional aircraft operators and provide them with a single, efficient and cost-effective parts solution,” said Malissa Nesmith, GlobalParts.aero’s vice president and COO. Nesmith noted that the company’s former name, Global Parts Inc, “wasn’t anything that directly tied us to aviation. We have now tied the name to aerospace with the dot-aero name.”
For its planned parts-to-print manufacturing enterprise, Global has invested nearly $3 million in acquiring five factory-new CNC machines, including a Makino Mag 1 five-axis horizontal machining center that can mill complex parts from aluminum blocks measuring up to 60 inches per side. The company plans to use its new manufacturing capability to make out-of-production parts for legacy aircraft under OEM license and take on work from machine shops in the Wichita area that are migrating to larger machines that make bulkier parts. Global plans to build a 60,000-sq-ft addition to its facilities to house the manufacturing operation.
“We are moving into this area at a level that demonstrates our long-term commitment to meeting customers’ needs, even for parts that aren’t typically available off the shelf or at multiple sites,” said Chris Roberts, director of manufacturing. “Most start-up fabricators are limited to producing small parts in the 24-inches by 24-inches range, but we are taking a purposeful step to provide a broader spectrum of capability.”
Meanwhile, the company’s new Part 145 repair station “allows us to have complete control over cost drivers, turn times and quality so that we can provide quick and competitive service,” said Nesmith. She noted that the company has come a long way since its founding as an authorized distributor for Raytheon excess inventory in 2003, when it operated out of a basement. Today the company has more than 50 employees and plans to add a dozen to 20 more in the coming year. Its core distribution business maintains a supply of some 75,000 unique parts numbers, and it has more than 6,200 customers worldwide.
