US company opens its first propeller maintenance unit in Brazil
Aircraft Propeller Services opens facility in Atibaia and starts providing services to customers in a facility that will have 30 employees
Investe São PauloOn August 10, Aircraft Propeller Services (APS) announced the beginning of operations of its first Brazilian unit, located in Atibaia. The US company is a global leader in aircraft propeller maintenance, and has been certified by ANAC (National Civil Aviation Agency) to conduct its operations.
The project involves a total investment of R$ 4.5 million, of which R$ 500,000 will be invested in 2017 after the increase in demand expected to occur with new projects, when the number of employees should increase from the current 11 to 30.
The project will rely on the support from Investe São Paulo, the investment promotion agency associated with the State Department of Economic Development, Science, Technology and Innovation.
“The State of São Paulo virtually concentrates almost the entire aircraft production chain in Brazil, and the logistics hub formed by our airports allows the equipment maintenance to also concentrate here. The investment of APS demonstrates the industry’s confidence in the growth of the state economy,” said Juan Quirós, president of the Agency.
The unit will be the first and only in Latin American licensed to perform the maintenance of propellers of UTC Aerospace Systems, formerly Hamilton Sundstrand, with capacity to inspect and repair propellers 586F with the Wrap Compression technology.
“With Anac certification, APS Brazil is well positioned to meet the Brazilian operators of ATR 42/72 and CASA CN295 aircraft – Azul, Passaredo, MAP, Total, Flyways and Modern Logistics, in addition to the Brazilian Air Force. We are committed to help them optimize the operational and transportation costs, reducing the repair time in their aircraft. We built this facility for the Brazilian operators,” said the company’s vice president of sales and marketing, Dennis Santare.
According to him, the investment is part of the company’s global business strategy of building a network of units in key locations around the world. “The facility in Atibaia will offer a convenient logistic and cost-effective spot for our customers in Brazil,” he said.
APS is also working to obtain the certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) by the end of the quarter to become an outsourced services provider such as non-destructive testing, thermal spraying, paintings, etc.
About APS
Founded in 1953, in the United States, Aircraft Propeller Service (LLC) is one of the oldest and largest Maintenance and Repair Organizations (MRO) of aircraft propellers. The company acts as a one-stop-shop, handling in-house inspections and repairs of hubs, actuators and other components. Today, APS serves over 800 customers, processing over 5,000 flight-critical parts and selling extensive parts which it also repairs. For more information, please visit www.aircraftpropeller.com.