Lee's Perspective - October

ecube and Unical 6 weeks in.

It’s been hectic, but brilliant! We’ve had a positive response to ecube’s acquisition by Unical. It’s the right move for two trusted companies, both known for the quality of our work. Each organisation will retain its independence, but be working closely together. That process has already started. In Spain ecube is offering logistics solutions for Unical as they acquire aircraft in the EU.

Nothing changes; the ecube vision remains. People have asked ‘if nothing changes, why do it?’. Our answer is that the new investment will put pace on the strategies ecube already had in place. We’ll be moving faster to execute on plans like, an extension of our facilities at our Coolidge base in Arizona. This will include maintenance approval capabilities.

We’ll maintain our short slot times too. We’re already working with customers on their average queue times, the timings they’ve received from us in the past and what they’re looking for in future.  To do this, we exclude the outliers, like the occasions where we’re able to start disassembly within five days. The focus is all on our usual arrival to disassembly times, which are within 4-8 weeks. We’ll also be able to accommodate owners who need a pragmatic exit for , say, 10+ aircraft, whether in a continuous slot or double line.

There will be more to come. Come and find out more from the team. We’re out and about this season. Already we’ve been at ISTAT Istanbul and out to MRO Asia for the first time. In October  the ecube team will be at MRO Europe. If you want to discuss the acquisition with us (or anything else) come and say hello at the Wales MRO Hub – Booth 3210.

As we head into peak season we’re on target. This year has been busier than last, and the activity promises to continue into 2025. Aircraft are having to retire as the bow wave begins to break. We’re seeing some aggressive moves in aircraft acquisition too, as companies look to access the parts. So our sector of the industry is more positive. But as a whole, we’re all still affected by sector challenges (Boeing strikes) and geo-political disputes (the Middle East and Ukraine).

This is a remarkable industry. We’re very grateful for the positive response to ecube’s acquisition by Unical. It’s a new stage in ecube’s independent life, a development that makes sense for both parties. We’re committed to meeting our customers needs, as ever.