ST. LOUIS, Feb. 17, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LMI Aerospace, Inc.
(Nasdaq:LMIA), a leading provider of design engineering services, structural assemblies, kits and components to the aerospace, defense and technology markets, today announced that its facility in Savannah, Georgia, was named Supplier of the Year for 2011 by Aviation Partners Boeing (APB).
The LMI Savannah operation provides kitted and assembled aircraft products to APB, Gulfstream and the Boeing Company. The APB kits are comprised of numerous components and subassemblies that are used by airlines to modify existing Boeing aircraft to enable the installation of blended winglets for Boeing model 737, 757 and 767 aircraft. A blended winglet is a curved structure installed on the wingtips of certain Boeing aircraft and is designed to reduce drag, improve an aircraft's performance and reduce the amount of fuel used. The product has been used extensively in recent years on both in-service aircraft, as well as those in original production.
"Congratulations to our team in Savannah," Ron Saks, Chief Executive Officer of LMI, said. "Our Savannah operation was established in the fall of 2003, when it began to provide kits of fuselage panels to Gulfstream for the G450 and G550 aircraft. Since then, this plant has provided wing modification kits which allow blended winglets to be installed on in-service aircraft for APB; has more recently begun producing assemblies for Boeing Charleston; and is presently installing five axis machining equipment in order to produce components and subassemblies for its customers. The plant has grown from 28,800 square feet originally to 86,200 square feet and soon will be expanded to 111,400 square feet. This rapid growth reflects the creativity and innovation the LMI people have shown in providing new products and services to their customers. Plant management is constantly improving the plant layout and has designed some unique customer services.
Employee training is offered extensively and recently they have participated in a mentoring program for selected South Carolina suppliers. They exemplify the standard of customer service that LMI demands from all of its facilities, and it is very satisfying for the plant employees to be recognized in this way."
The award from APB is the inaugural recognition for suppliers to the company and was based on the LMI facility's successful introduction of new processes and programs on tight timelines, meeting unusual requests from APB and exceeding expectations in the areas of quality, delivery and support. Aviation Partners Boeing is a joint venture of Aviation Partners, Inc. and The Boeing Company, which was formed to equip Boeing aircraft with blended winglet technology.
Last June the Georgia Department of Economic Development named this facility the Georgia Manufacturer of the Year for 2011 in the category of small manufacturer with 150 or fewer employees. The presentation was made during the Governor's Awards Luncheon, the high point of Georgia Manufacturing Appreciation Week. This prestigious award was sponsored by Georgia Quick Start and the Technical College System of Georgia, which have assisted the Savannah plant in documenting and executing training programs for employees and helped LMI grow this facility so rapidly.
LMI Aerospace, Inc. is a leading provider of design engineering services, structural assemblies, kits and components to the aerospace, defense and technology markets. Through its Aerostructures segment, the company primarily fabricates, machines, finishes, integrates, assembles and kits formed close tolerance aluminum and specialty alloy and composite components and higher level assemblies for use by the aerospace, defense and technology industries. It manufactures more than 30,000 products for integration into a variety of aircraft platforms manufactured by leading original equipment manufacturers and Tier 1 aerospace suppliers. Through its Engineering Services segment, operated by its D3 Technologies, Inc. subsidiary, the company provides a complete range of design, engineering and program management services, supporting aircraft product lifecycles from conceptual design, analysis and certification through production support, fleet support and service life extensions via a complete turnkey engineering solution.
