Monarch Aircraft Engineering (MAEL), the award-winning independent aircraft maintenance provider and division of The Monarch Group, has agreed to partner with global tooling solutions specialist, Snap-on Industrial. The partnership sees the replacement of all MAEL engineers' personal tooling at its new maintenance facility at Birmingham Airport with Snap-on Industrial’s world leading Level 5 tool control system, providing complete security and accountability.
MAEL is one of the first aircraft maintenance providers in the UK to replace all its existing engineers’ personal tools to such an extent with company owned tooling and represents a major shift in working practices for the company. The introduction of Snap-on Industrial's Level 5 programme of tools and tool control will help MAEL offer continued exceptional levels of safety and efficiency at the heart of its Maintenance Repair Overhaul (MRO) operations in Birmingham; both are vital to MAEL’s customers.
The new 110,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility at Birmingham Airport opened on 4th November 2013 and the preparation included an initial delivery of over 27,320 Snap-on hand and power tools. MAEL provides MRO services for its sister company Monarch Airlines along with a number of the best known airlines around the world. It also provides base maintenance hangar facilities at London Luton Airport (headquarters), Manchester Airport and now Birmingham Airport.
Mick Adams, Managing Director of MAEL explains:
“Safety has always been our number one priority - it isn’t something that we will compromise on. By using Snap-on’s tooling systems, we are confident that we can improve our leading safety standards still further.
“This partnership with Snap-on ensures that our new hangar in Birmingham really will be a world-class facility for aircraft maintenance. Tooling is core to our operations and this solution fits perfectly with our strategy for lean processes.”
In its quest to provide world class tooling solutions and to prevent Foreign Object Damage (FOD), MAEL has chosen Snap-on Industrial as its business partner of choice, introducing ‘TCMax’ asset software management programme for tool control to its Birmingham facility. Snap-on’s Level 5 programme works to counter FOD and make the workplace safer and more productive through five key measures: tool organisation, tool visibility through coloured foam inserts, tool security, tool tracking and digital tool accountability, providing a full audit trail and torque calibration schedules.
Within this, Networkable Tool Control (NTC) provides electronic keyless lockable tool storage units, allowing only authorised personnel to access. For the first time, MAEL will have real time visibility of the entire maintenance floor tooling inventory. All tools in the system are laser etched with an ID number linked to a specific cabinet within the TCMax asset management system, providing comprehensive tool accountability. When a tool is removed from the cabinet a unique record is generated, providing real-time inventory management including details of who is currently using each tool, on which aircraft, even to a specific area, all linked to a works order. Critical events such as calibration requests, broken or lost tools will trigger an alert including an automatic email distribution to a list of shift supervisors, ensuring immediate action to locate or its timely replacement in the case of a broken tool.
Commenting on the partnership with Monarch Aircraft Engineering, Ian Brook, Director and General Manager, Snap-on Industrial said:
“In its drive to put safety and efficiency at the heart of its operations, MAEL recognises that controlling FOD is an absolute necessity, not only because of potential risk of aircraft damage, but also the disruption to schedules, expensive downtime and potential reputation loss. We have worked closely with the MAEL team to identify exactly what equipment the company requires, including; mechanical high use, maintenance, electrical and structures kits, a central tool store and other trade kits which include trim bay kits and composite repair kits. The tooling solutions that we are providing to MAEL are completely bespoke. We are delighted to partner with such a globally renowned aviation group.”
For more information on Snap-on Industrial’s aerospace expertise, products and offerings please visit http://www1.snapon.com/Aerospace.
