Simplifying Your Supply Chain with FDH Aero
Aviation has surpassed expectations in the speed of its recovery since the Covid-19 pandemic, with traffic volumes now above 2019 levels in many markets. Yet even stronger growth would be possible were it not for ongoing supply chain challenges that are delaying new aircraft deliveries, blowing out lead times for spare parts and stretching maintenance capacity to the limit.
Thus the advantage lies with those manufacturers, airlines and MRO providers that can optimize their supply chains. Los Angeles-based FDH Aero caters to all three, with 60 years of experience delivering the quality expected by OEM customers and the speed needed by the aftermarket across the commercial and military sectors. This diversification has given it the skills and depth of experience to support all stages of an aircraft’s life – from initial production to sunset maintenance – as wells as the ups and downs of the aviation cycle.
FDH Aero boosted its commercial MRO offering in 2018 when it acquired PDQ Airspares, a UK-based consumables and expendables supplier. This is now part of an FDH Aero distribution network that spans multiple locations in the USA, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, providing scale and global reach while ensuring a local, responsive and agile service, including 24/7 AOG support and optimized stock availability for planned maintenance.
It is difficult to predict how long the current supply chain issues in aviation will persist, but many industry observers expect at least another two years of disruption. For airlines this means more delivery delays of new aircraft and engines, forcing them to lean on older equipment to meet their capacity needs. In turn, this pushes up demand for material to meet the additional maintenance requirements, but the supply of spare parts is under pressure from manufacturing delays and fewer teardowns as older aircraft – the prime source for used parts – are kept in service for longer.
This presents a complex picture, but the key to negotiating supply chain challenges can be summed up in one word: simplification. FDH Aero simplifies the supply chain by partnering with airlines and MRO companies to build bespoke strategies that sustain their specific material pipelines and maintenance demands. And, having acquired numerous best-in-class businesses within the supply chain over its history, FDH is able to offer a one-stop shop solution that combines speed, scale and reliability.
FDH’s vendor managed inventory service sees them invest alongside customers to stock large amounts of inventory and manage customer inventory on their behalf, while just-in-time deliveries ensure those customers only have to keep minimal amounts of key items at their own sites. FDH also keeps things simple by packaging parts often ordered together into kits, while customers can also request custom packaging, marking and labelling.
The net result is a supply chain solution that irons out complexities, creates efficiencies, and saves costs through optimized processes – all of which makes FDH Aero a market leader and true strategic partner, not just another fulfillment house that offers limited protection against the vagaries of the supply chain.
FDH aims to challenge the status quo for themselves as well as their customers: FDH outpaces the aviation industry in terms of diversity – 51% of its global workforce are women and 58% come from underrepresented backgrounds. Recognizing this as well as the company’s strong community engagement and positive employee feedback, in 2024 FDH Aero received a ‘Best Places to Work in Aviation’ award.
Directing this strategy is a leadership team boasting high-level experience within the materials arms of some of aviation’s biggest OEMs. FDH Aero president and CEO Scott Tucker, for example, is a former president of GE Supply, while chief operating officer Ken Aso served in various roles at Boeing Global Services, including managing director of Global Services Engineering, Maintenance and Mods Product Management.
If you are one of the many companies that can identify weaknesses in your supply chain, please contact FDH Aero to learn how they can optimize your program through a broad portfolio of products and bespoke value-added services.