London, 1 May 2012: A J Walter Aviation marked eighty years in aviation with a sweeping expansion programme that has included new trading offices in Miami, Dubai and Singapore; strategic spares hubs across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas; a highly successful launch of its engines division; the development of spares support for the business jet sector; the re-launch of AJW Leasing; and the founding of AJW Capital Partners. A new purpose-built UK global headquarters and logistics centre will open later in the year to house a workforce that has more than doubled in recent times.
Since its origins in 1932, A J Walter Aviation has become the world’s leading independent integrated aircraft support specialist, with revenues in excess of $350m. The business ethos of its founder, Anthony James Walter, lives on in a unique business structure that has been owned by the Whiteside family since 1961 and combines his pioneering spirit with an entrepreneurial strategy to create advantageous support programmes for airlines and operators worldwide.
From the original supplier of spare parts for the modest Piper Cub, to an extensive inventory of modern Airbus and Boeing spare parts valued at over $450m, serving 800 customers in 115 different countries – AJW has come a long way.
Already highly regarded for its award-winning 24/7 AOG and critical component services the Company provides a wide range of component management solutions including power-by-the-hour, pooling and lease options. With over 400 aircraft under contract, AJW operates a bigger fleet than China Southern Airlines and more than Virgin Atlantic, Swiss, TAP, Finnair and TransAero combined. In commercial airline terms, AJW is the 8th largest in the world and it is equivalent to the 2nd largest cargo carrier after Federal Express.
“AJW has invested significantly in technology to ensure that we remain at the cutting edge and can meet the future challenges of the global aviation sector” explains Christopher Whiteside, President. “We are wholeheartedly committed to quality and technical excellence not only meeting the rigorous standards demanded by the industry, but going one step further. This ensures that we are always front runners and can maximise the flexibility of our services. Our independence guarantees that we are always able to put the customer first. There is no ‘AJW way’, just the customer’s way. And it is this focus and business mantra that has enabled us to compete most effectively with larger MRO organisations and OEMs who are frequently bound by a rigid structure and unable to operate or provide a service in certain markets.”
“We are also committed to putting something back into the industry and we do this through our educational programme in association with City University, London and our sponsorship of the Flight Excellence Awards. To date we have awarded bursaries to outstanding students from Ethiopian Airways, Emirates Airline, Czech Airlines, Royal Air Maroc and Air Algerie and we have recognised the achievements of such industry leaders as Willie Walsh and Tim Clark. Continuing to play an active role in the development of professional skills within the industry in which we thrive is important to us as a business.”
Whiteside continues “We have ambitious plans. Over the next five years you can expect us to more than double the AJW Group as we grow with our existing customers and service new customers with new business models. However the world of aviation develops, you can be sure that A J Walter Aviation is going to become a big part of it.”
