Earlier this month AAR (Hall 3, B117) shifted responsibility for order management of its composite flat-panel and standard products to its distribution and supply chain operation, along with distribution and customer support responsibilities. “As the market for aerospace composites grows, instead of expanding customer support within the manufacturing division, we turned to AAR’s extensive existing sales and distribution network to handle this function,” said Vincent Misciagna, vice president and general manager of AAR Composites. “That way, customers can benefit from an extensive infrastructure already in place. They will now have a broader organization to lean on.”

AAR also anticipates that the change will help it expand its composites presence in markets outside North America. Currently, 90 percent of AAR’s composites sales are in that one region, but with sales offices and stocking locations in Chicago, London, Amsterdam, Abu Dhabi and Singapore, AAR is confident that its distribution and supply-chain network “offers opportunities for a broader reach” for composites business.

AAR is based in Wood Dale, Illinois, and employs more than 6,000 people in 17 countries.