History
BBA Aviation can trace its origins back to a small industrial belting works founded in Scotland in 1879. Over time, what was known as BBA Group grew its operations to include a wide range of specialist industrial and automotive products before becoming involved in aviation. In 2006, with the demerger of Fiberweb, BBA became a focused aviation support and aftermarket services business and was renamed BBA Aviation.
BBA Group acquired Ontic in 2006, the same year it became a focused aviation group
In November 2005, BBA Group announced that it intended to separate its two businesses by the sale of its Materials Technology division, now named Fiberweb, or via demerger and focus on aviation. Having grown its aviation portfolio steadily over the previous two decades, at the beginning of 2006, BBA's Signature network extended to 80 locations, 34 of which were outside North America, and ASIG provided refuelling and ground handling services in 65 cities worldwide. BBA's other aviation businesses were primarily focused on the maintenance, repair and overhaul of engines and components, typically for business jets, with the majority based in North America.
In 2006 BBA Group expanded its portfolio in landing gear & hydraulics and component repair & overhaul with the acquisition of Arnoni Aviation Services Inc. and Ontic Engineering & Manufacturing Inc., a specialist in legacy platforms. During the course of the year BBA also prepared to separate its two divisions and demerged Fiberweb in November 2006, completing its transformation to a focused aviation group. BBA Group was renamed BBA Aviation.
In 2007, BBA Aviation continued to make bolt on acquisitions and invest in its areas of expertise and finished the year looking very much like the company it is today. Oxford Airport and Oxford Aviation Training were sold for £71.1m and the Signature network grew by a further 10 FBOs. BBA Aviation's parts distribution companies ITS and BTEC were incorporated into the ERO business and Commercial Aircraft Products, a Wichita based hydraulics business was acquired. Simon Pryce joined BBA Aviation as its new Group Chief Executive from GKN.
In 2008 Signature continued to add to its network with the acquisition and integration of Hawker Beechcraft Line Service Division and the addition of FBOs in Europe at Munich and London Gatwick. ASIG began one of the industry's largest ground handling contracts at JFK International Airport's Terminal One and acquired Flygiene Ltd, an aircraft cleaning business based in the UK. ERO grew significantly its number of engine authorisations and secured various additional service contracts and extensions while Ontic established a UK base to support the expansion of its core licensing model and capabilities in Europe.
In 2009, Signature entered into a commercial partnership with Aviapartner, adding a new location to the network in Nice, France, Europe's fifth largest airport for B&GA aircraft movements. Signature US also signed a new five year contract with Netjets. ASIG made significant contract wins in the year including two large fuel services contracts at Washington Dulles International Airport and the renewal of system wide agreements with American Airlines, Delta Airlines and Frontier Airlines.
ERO expanded significantly its network of regional and international support locations in line with the growing international requirements of its customers and, by the end of the year, had a total of 12 regional turbine centres and more than 100 field service technicians – some based in the emerging markets of South Africa, India and Brazil. Legacy Support continued to grow its portfolio of licensed and acquired products and APPH supplied its first prototype landing gear system to Eurocopter France's EC175 helicopter programme for qualification testing.
In 2010, Signature added two new locations to its global network at Montreal and Fresno and announced the launch of Signature Status, a customer loyalty programme which offers service enhancements in return for increased customer loyalty. ASIG expanded significantly in Europe and began to service the Airbus A380 superjumbo in the UK. ERO opened its new F1RST SUPPORT customer support centre at Dallas Airmotive, a facility that provides real-time tracking of aircraft, assets and personnel, giving ERO a significant market advantage in being able to provide an ultra fast response to customers' aircraft on ground needs. At the end of the year, IGS, formerly part of BBA Aviation's Legacy Support group moved to become part of ERO in order to co-ordinate skills and maximise business opportunities with shared customers.
In 2011, Signature grew its network to reach 112 locations by the end of the year. These included new locations in Bozeman, Montana, Boca Raton, Florida, two locations in the Caribbean and two FBOs in Mobile, Alabama. Signature also signed an agreement with NetJets to build and operate a dedicated private terminal at Palm Beach International Airport. ASIG launched new refuelling and fuel facility management services at Klagenfurt and Linz, Austria and entered the Latin America market with a 20-year contract to provide comprehensive fuel services at Tocumen International Airport in Panama.
ERO extended its Honeywell capabilities at its RTC in Brazil and set up a new RTC and F1RST SUPPORT control centre in Singapore, its first in Asia. A F1RST SUPPORT control centre also opened in Portsmouth, UK during the year. Legacy Support acquired GE Aviation Systems' fuel measurement business, strengthening its position in the UK where the company now has two locations at Slough and Cheltenham. APPH made good progress on OEM orders for the Agusta Westland AW159 military helicopter and the BAE Systems' Hawk trainer aircraft due for delivery in 2012.
