Aerospace Products International (API) of Memphis, Tennessee, will open a new facility in June at Shanghai, China, to serve Asian customers, and another facility is planned to open in Luton, England, by the end of the third quarter of this year for the European market.

Paul Fanelli, president and CEO of API, explains that his company is not competing with manufacturers to supply parts to maintenance facilities, but closely works with them to provide optimal service to users of their aircraft. For instance, Beechcraft and Gulfstream Aerospace interface with API to supply repair and overhaul facilities with parts for aircraft of their production. API has recently purchased a large inventory of parts for King Airs, Barons and Bonanzas from Beech.

The company also supplies FedEx with consumables for its large fleet of heavy freighters. Flight Options is a recent addition to API’s customer base. This company operates approximately 200 fractionally owned business jets, including the world’s largest fleet of Beechjet 400As.

API provides electronic supply programs (ESP) to its customers, which ensure automatic inventory management and product replenishment with the help of a handheld bar code scanning device and monitor. The system provides real-time information on parts availability and location and is accessible from any computer. Additional programs offer rotables management, tool room management and shelf-life management. ESP requires no IT investment, as it is Web-based. API is increasingly turning to SAP software,which has become the industry standard requested by most customers.

A company of medium size in its market, API (Booth No. 1264) achieves sales of $131 million with a staff of 215. The company has 25 field reps visiting maintenance facilities in the U.S., plus four in Europe and eight in Asia.