First Aviation

About API

API (“Aerospace Products International, Inc.”), First Aviation's principle subsidiary, based in Memphis, Tennessee, is the aviation industry's leading provider of innovative distribution and supply chain management solutions.

Trusted Parts Source

API provides the aviation industry with a one-stop source for all product needs. With little to no effort, customers can access a vast supply of top-quality parts. API distributes nearly 200,000 factory-new parts manufactured by over 150 OEMs, including Beechcraft, Goodrich, Aircraft Braking Systems, Parker Hannifin, Goodyear, Michelin, Unison, Champion, Lycoming, Teledyne Continental Motors, Exxon/Mobil, AirBP, 3M, TronAir and Marathon, among others. Additionally, API Technologies (API’s FAA-certified repair station) repairs and overhauls aircraft brakes, starter/generators and batteries. The company also builds custom hose assemblies.

API is always open. API’s customer service hotline (1.800.950.0111) is staffed 24 hours per day, seven days per week, providing customers with unprecedented levels of vendor availability. API’s Memphis, Tenn. facilities allow API to provide extended shipping hours to support our customers’ 24/7 needs as well. Orders placed before 1am Eastern Time can be shipped the same night (Monday through Friday) via FedEx Express. Orders placed before 5 p.m. on Saturday may also be shipped same-day. As such, API’s single-point distribution strategy provides faster service and greater availability to any domestic location compared to its competitors’ “local” branches.

API’s single-point distribution model also allows API to pack a single shipment for each customer order. This method avoids wasting customers’ time from delays associated with waiting for parts to arrive in multiple shipments from multiple locations. If the parts are in stock, they are shipped as a complete package, saving API's customers time and money.

API’s ISO 9002 certified operations ship customer orders with greater than 99.8% accuracy. API’s dynamic warehouse management systems and inventory control practices provide 100% traceability of all product handled by API. API manages manufacturers’ documentation and certifications electronically, automatically providing its customers with all documentation at the time of product delivery and/or via its secure e-commerce Web site. Furthermore, API can also validate manufacturers’ certifications using its on-site DAR.

Supply Chain Partner

Through decades of aircraft parts distribution, API has invested in a state-of-the-art supply chain infrastructure and developed a keen aviation expertise. As part of the company’s services offering, API provides customized supply chain management programs that utilize specific facets of its infrastructure and knowledge base to solve the supply chain issues that plague the industry. API’s supply chain solutions menu includes services in the areas of:

Demand forecasting and inventory planning
Procurement
Quality assurance and inventory control
Warehouse management
Order fulfillment
Transportation management
Reverse logistics
Rotables and repair cycle management
Sales and customer support
Technical support
Call center operations and management

API focuses on these supply chain functions so that its customers (OEMs, MRO facilities, FBOs, airlines and other aircraft operators) can concentrate on their core competencies and business issues. As a supply chain partner, API strives to boost its customers’ product support and customer satisfaction ratings by increasing product availability, minimizing time-to-delivery and reducing process and working capital costs. API also provides customers with key business data and metrics (such as product usage by work order, inventory status by location, availability rate by part number and repair cycle times) in order to allow customers to most effectively manage their businesses.

API works behind the scenes, providing supply chain services without interfering with its customers’ own business relationships. Many of API’s supply chain programs are carried out on a “private label” basis. In these cases, API uses the customers’ brands rather than its own, in order to preserve the value that customers have built in their businesses.

History & Background

Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., API was founded in 1988 as an aircraft parts distribution business unit of AMR Services. AMR established API with one central facility in order to build an efficient distribution infrastructure that could leverage the multitude of shipping options available in Memphis, including overnight services provided by FedEx Express. In 1992, API merged with AMR Combs distribution businesses, adding new product lines to its aircraft parts portfolio. In 1997, as part of an effort to divest non-airline assets and business units, AMR sold API; API is currently 100%-owned by First Aviation Services, Inc. (Nasdaq: FAVS) of Westport, Conn.

Since 1997, API’s revenues have grown at an annual rate of over 16% to a record of $124.2 million in fiscal year 2005 (ended Jan. 31, 2005). API’s growth during this time is a result of: (a) investments in information technology, which have allowed API to achieve industry-leading levels of product availability and customer service; (b) international expansion, including partnerships and branch locations in Europe, Canada and Asia; and (c) leveraging API’s state-of-the-art distribution infrastructure to provide the aviation industry with unique, customized supply chain services and solutions. API sees supply chain solutions as the segment of the business in greatest demand as aircraft operators, OEMs and MRO providers seek to minimize the life-cycle costs of aircraft and engine ownership by reducing the overhead and “back office” costs of aircraft operations. API’s supply chain solutions business allows the aviation industry to reduce back-office costs by partnering with a company that can leverage an existing supply chain infrastructure and focus all efforts on maximum supply chain efficiency and customer service.

Contacts

Aerospace Products International, Inc.
James Howell, Vice President and CFO, +1.901.375.2674

API Customer Service Hotline: 1.800.950.0111 or +1.901.365.3470 ext. 2171
Airline Customers: 1.800.950.7790 or +1.901.259.4545
Español / Português: +1.901.375.2659

API Canada Ltd
1.800.214.7404 (Montreal Call Center)
1.888.322.8281 (Calgary Call Center)

API Asia Pacific Ltd
+63.45.599.5490

click on API’s logo to go to their web site