There have been presss releases and media events about a new MRO coming to Windsor. The papers seem to be sure it is Premier, but no one will say for sure. Any info? Seems they are expanding very quickly with the Trois Rivieres, Rome NY and now this. Almost looks like they are just grabbing any growth money available. I can't see more than quadrupling your capacity in such a short time frame. Best of luck to them but if this is true then where do the people come from?
Thoughts?
0
New Windsor MRO?
Started by
13820
, Jan 11 2011 10:27 AM
2 replies to this topic
#2
malcolm
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Posted 11 January 2011 - 10:55 AM
So far just a rumour but.......
MONTREAL - Premier Aviation Overhaul Centre Inc., it appears, is at it again.
The Trois Rivières aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) specialist for narrow-body aircraft (single aisle planes) seems poised to announce yet another expansion, this time at the airport in Windsor, Ont.
Various officials would not confirm reports that Premier Aviation would launch a 150,000-square-foot MRO facility that would employ 200 people at the Windsor International Airport with $4 million in federal funding. The project has to be completed by March 31 to be eligible for the economic stimulus funding.
But the city and airport are widely believed to be on the verge of an official announcement.
Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis confirmed the project last May, but not the name of the company.
"I don't think there's any surprise to anyone that we've been working hard to try to move toward locating an MRO facility at Windsor Airport," he was quoted as saying.
Adding to the mystery is the speculation that the 10-storey Windsor hangar could also herald a radical new direction for Premier Aviation - into MRO for wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing 747, 767 and 777, and Airbus A-330, A-340 and A-380.
Largely unknown until a few months ago, Premier Aviation has suddenly become a significant Canadian player in the large, but cutthroat, MRO business.
It tripled its 48,000 square-foot home base at the Trois Rivières airport last year and six weeks ago surprised the industry with a 379,000-square-foot expansion into the U.S. when it opened three repair bays at a former U.S. air force base in Rome, N.Y.
Company president Ronnie Di Bartolo told The Gazette then that Premier Aviation would concentrate on narrow-bodies, such as the B-737s it repairs and maintains for WestJet Airlines Ltd., and Airbus A-320s, including for charter outfit USA 3000.
But a report in the Windsor Star said the new hangar could accommodate wide-body planes.
Whether narrow-body or wide-body, Andrew Edwards has words of caution for Premier Aviation.
Edwards is the chief financial officer of Laurentian Aerospace Corp., which began life as a Montreal firm looking to install an MRO plant at Mirabel for wide-body planes. But it could not get the necessary funding until last month, when it announced it would launch a $172-million MRO facility at Plattsburgh's former air force base instead.
The MRO industry has migrated to Asia, Latin America and other low-cost regions, he said, and players outside those areas must have a well-defined and major competitive advantage.
Laurentian's edge is its automated docking system, he said, a mobile scaffolding system that wraps itself around the plane, including at a height of 60 feet, for repairs to the fins.
Work stations can be erected on the scaffolding itself, eliminating the need for workers to go back and forth to tool sheds and computer drawings.
The system is proprietary, said Edwards, and can't easily be replicated by low-cost operators.
"As for MRO for narrow bodies, I would not want to be in that market under any circumstances," Edwards said.
"The margins are very, very low, so I assume (Premier) feels they have some niche or some edge."
A spokesperson for airport president Federica Nazzani said her boss could not comment until after a "public announcement." She could not say when that would be.
Mayor Eddie Francis also did not return calls.
Premier Aviation officials were also tight-lipped. Marketing vice-president Dave Diggle said he was not aware of the project, and president Ronnie Di Bartolo was travelling and did not return calls.
Various economic development officers in Windsor also did not return calls.
fshalom@montrealgazette.com
Read more: http://www.montrealg...l#ixzz1AkqzMdtY
MONTREAL - Premier Aviation Overhaul Centre Inc., it appears, is at it again.
The Trois Rivières aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) specialist for narrow-body aircraft (single aisle planes) seems poised to announce yet another expansion, this time at the airport in Windsor, Ont.
Various officials would not confirm reports that Premier Aviation would launch a 150,000-square-foot MRO facility that would employ 200 people at the Windsor International Airport with $4 million in federal funding. The project has to be completed by March 31 to be eligible for the economic stimulus funding.
But the city and airport are widely believed to be on the verge of an official announcement.
Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis confirmed the project last May, but not the name of the company.
"I don't think there's any surprise to anyone that we've been working hard to try to move toward locating an MRO facility at Windsor Airport," he was quoted as saying.
Adding to the mystery is the speculation that the 10-storey Windsor hangar could also herald a radical new direction for Premier Aviation - into MRO for wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing 747, 767 and 777, and Airbus A-330, A-340 and A-380.
Largely unknown until a few months ago, Premier Aviation has suddenly become a significant Canadian player in the large, but cutthroat, MRO business.
It tripled its 48,000 square-foot home base at the Trois Rivières airport last year and six weeks ago surprised the industry with a 379,000-square-foot expansion into the U.S. when it opened three repair bays at a former U.S. air force base in Rome, N.Y.
Company president Ronnie Di Bartolo told The Gazette then that Premier Aviation would concentrate on narrow-bodies, such as the B-737s it repairs and maintains for WestJet Airlines Ltd., and Airbus A-320s, including for charter outfit USA 3000.
But a report in the Windsor Star said the new hangar could accommodate wide-body planes.
Whether narrow-body or wide-body, Andrew Edwards has words of caution for Premier Aviation.
Edwards is the chief financial officer of Laurentian Aerospace Corp., which began life as a Montreal firm looking to install an MRO plant at Mirabel for wide-body planes. But it could not get the necessary funding until last month, when it announced it would launch a $172-million MRO facility at Plattsburgh's former air force base instead.
The MRO industry has migrated to Asia, Latin America and other low-cost regions, he said, and players outside those areas must have a well-defined and major competitive advantage.
Laurentian's edge is its automated docking system, he said, a mobile scaffolding system that wraps itself around the plane, including at a height of 60 feet, for repairs to the fins.
Work stations can be erected on the scaffolding itself, eliminating the need for workers to go back and forth to tool sheds and computer drawings.
The system is proprietary, said Edwards, and can't easily be replicated by low-cost operators.
"As for MRO for narrow bodies, I would not want to be in that market under any circumstances," Edwards said.
"The margins are very, very low, so I assume (Premier) feels they have some niche or some edge."
A spokesperson for airport president Federica Nazzani said her boss could not comment until after a "public announcement." She could not say when that would be.
Mayor Eddie Francis also did not return calls.
Premier Aviation officials were also tight-lipped. Marketing vice-president Dave Diggle said he was not aware of the project, and president Ronnie Di Bartolo was travelling and did not return calls.
Various economic development officers in Windsor also did not return calls.
fshalom@montrealgazette.com
Read more: http://www.montrealg...l#ixzz1AkqzMdtY
#3
malcolm
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Posted 24 February 2011 - 10:19 AM
More work coming to Canada
Discovery Air Technical Services Inc. announces its newly obtained ERJ135/145 AMO Certificate and first contract signature with a major US Regional Airline
In addition to the ERJ 135/145, Discovery Air Technical Services holds Transport Canada approvals for the DASH-8, Boeing 737 and SAAB 340 aircraft, and will soon add additional aircraft types to its catalog of capabilities. DATS' Quebec City maintenance facility provides a wide range of capabilities including welding, avionics, engineering, machining, heat treatment, composite and sheet metal repairs.
Discovery Air Technical Services Inc. announces its newly obtained ERJ135/145 AMO Certificate and first contract signature with a major US Regional Airline
QUEBEC CITY, Feb. 23 /CNW/ - Discovery Air Technical Services Inc. (DATS) is pleased to announce it has received its Approved Maintenance Organisation (AMO) Certificate from Transport Canada for the ERJ 135/145 regional jet, and was recently awarded its first contract covering a total of 8 aircraft with a US regional airline.
"This contract award from a major US regional operator is a significant win for DATS," commented Remy St-Martin, DATS VP Commercial Services. "We look forward to strengthening our relationship with this customer and extending the agreement to cover additional aircraft beyond this initial award."In addition to the ERJ 135/145, Discovery Air Technical Services holds Transport Canada approvals for the DASH-8, Boeing 737 and SAAB 340 aircraft, and will soon add additional aircraft types to its catalog of capabilities. DATS' Quebec City maintenance facility provides a wide range of capabilities including welding, avionics, engineering, machining, heat treatment, composite and sheet metal repairs.
