Instant UpRight Enters U.S. Aviation Market With Specialty Products for Aircraft Maintenance

DUBLIN and WASHINGTON -- Instant UpRight Ltd., a global provider of aluminum access solutions, says that it has joined forces with military logistics and equipment specialist, CV International (CVI), serving Standard Aero, a global leader in aviation MRO services, on a multi-million dollar project to deliver multiple, highly specialized work platform structures to the U.S. Air Force. The platforms are used to access and maintain large aircraft.

For Instant UpRight and its partner CVI, the collaboration marks the latest phase in their penetration of the large U.S. aviation market. The news coincides with a business reception today in Washington, D.C., hosted by Enterprise Ireland, the Government Agency responsible for driving leadership and growth for innovative Irish companies in international markets. The event was one of several associated with a trade mission to the U.S. led by Ireland's Prime Minister, Brian Cowen.

"This networked approach has enabled us to satisfy the needs of the Air Force with the best possible designs at reasonable costs," says Instant UpRight managing director John Nevin. "Standard Aero and CVI have been exceptional partners, bringing years of relevant and invaluable knowledge to the project."

Nevin notes that the project was also an important part of his firm's strategy to expand its penetration of both aviation and other specialty industrial MRO markets in the U.S. and abroad. "Instant UpRight's entry to the aviation market provides a healthy position from which to springboard into other sectors, such as power generator maintenance platforms, where we have strongly differentiated offerings and expertise," he says.

First initiated in September 2007, the project is a tiered effort: Standard Aero is the project contractor and handles project services and integration; CVI supplies steel jacks and framework; Instant UpRight designs and manufactures aluminum decking, railings and access stairs, and together, CVI and Instant UpRight perform installation. The goal is to provide several custom, precision-fitted structures. Each serves a different section of the aircraft and provides safe, cost-effective access for maintenance personnel working on planes that are the height of multistory buildings. First prototypes were delivered in late 2008; one subsequent section of the project is now in production, and release by Standard Aero of contracts for four additional structures is expected in the near future.