MB Aerospace Holdings Ltd, which last month completed the acquisition of US based Gentz Industries (Gentz Aero) in Detroit, MI, has today (Monday, January 23) announced plans to establish a North American base for its Supply Chain Management (SCM) services business.

MB Aerospace (MBAe) currently operates a successful SCM service business throughout Europe from its UK-based operation in Derby, delivering a range of complex, high-value aftermarket aero-engine components to the leading names in the global aerospace market.

MBAe’s new North American SCM services business unit, which will initially be based in Michigan, is ideally placed to service the global aerospace industry’s increasing reliance on additional engineering and program management resource, supporting their supply management capability and meeting future growth needs.

Experienced UK aerospace executive Wayne Gibson has been appointed Executive Vice President and General Manager. Gibson has worked with MBAe based in the UK for almost three years as Head of Engineering and Quality at its SCM services business.

He has played an integral role in developing MBAe’s growing aftermarket Supply Chain Management Services business in Europe and will now transfer his expertise to focus on the growth of the US market.

The supply chain operation will work closely with MB Aerospace’s own in-house manufacturing capabilities in Michigan and the UK and will include several of the company’s existing US and European manufacturing supply chain partners.

Craig Gallagher, chief executive officer of MB Aerospace Holdings Ltd, congratulated Gibson on his appointment. He said: “Wayne is a highly-respected and valued member of the MBAe team and I’m delighted he is taking up this position in the US, specifically to meet the growing demands of our US headquartered global customers. 

“We have identified an opportunity to provide additional engineering and program management resource to service the industry’s leading aero-engine manufacturers as the aerospace industry continues to grow and launch new platforms globally.

“By outsourcing the SCM of legacy components, we will enable our customers to focus their efforts on design, system integration and the priority of launching and managing the demand for several new platforms.

“Wayne’s long-standing experience in the aerospace industry, which includes 22 years with Rolls-Royce in a number of engineering roles including international assignments in Japan and the US, make him an ideal candidate to develop a strong network of supply chain partners to service North American customers.”

Gibson will be based at MBAe’s offices in Michigan and will work closely with the MB Aerospace board to help execute the group’s North American growth strategy whilst also providing engineering support to the organisation’s existing component manufacturing and repair activities at Gentz Aero.

Gentz Aero has an outstanding reputation within the global aerospace industry, manufacturing complex, high-precision engine components to an established customer base, comprising some of the leading names in the global aerospace market.

Key customers of Gentz Aero include Pratt & Whitney, Hamilton Sundstrand, Rolls-Royce, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Volvo Aerospace and the US Department of Defense.

Gibson said: “This is an excellent opportunity for me personally and an exciting time for MBAe as it looks to significantly grow our operations globally.

“I’m looking forward to working closely with our US supply chain partners including the new team at Gentz Aero following the recent acquisition to establish a full understanding of its manufacturing capabilities and how it can play a key part in the SCM services offering.”

MBAe’s strategic acquisition of Gentz Aero will provide the SCM services business with significant capacity and capabilities to share with its target customer base.

Mr Gallagher added: “Our vision is to provide customers with world-class technologies and exceptional service. The newly enlarged group, based in the manufacturing heartlands of the United States and Great Britain, boasts a proven track-record within the aerospace industry.

“This significant investment will open up exciting opportunities to develop our approach to legacy component sourcing solutions in the world’s largest aero-engine marketplace.”

Notes to editors:

MB Aerospace Holdings Ltd.

MB Aerospace Holdings Ltd is an international aerospace engineering group providing complex engineering solutions to some of the key names in the aerospace and defence market.

The group provides an in-depth knowledge of critical manufacturing technologies and the global supply chain management to support complex aero-engine component manufacture and repair.

MBAe supports major corporations to address the root causes of under-performance in their extended and fragmented supply chains and helps safe-guard the continuity of supply in challenging circumstances.

MB Aerospace Holdings Ltd, which has operations in Motherwell, Derby and Burnley, completed a multi-million pound acquisition of US-based Gentz Industries in December 2011. The merger with MBAe’s three UK sites in Scotland and England brings the total number of employees in the group to more than 400.

Ends

Issued by The BIG Partnership on behalf of MB Aerospace Holdings Ltd

For further information please contact:

Michelle Holton, The BIG Partnership 

Tel: 0141 333 9585 / 07957 870 514