by admin on Jan 31, 2011, under Uncategorized
Leading Edge, the world’s largest commercial aircraft painting company is growing again – this time at the top. Chris Harano has joined the company as President and Chief Operating Officer. An expert in building companies internationally, Chris will spearhead the company’s strategic growth into new markets both domestically and globally, as Leading Edge continues to expand its MRO and new manufacturing divisions.
Chris comes to Leading Edge from Insultech, a leading provider of thermal and acoustical products for the power generation markets. As president, Chris helped accelerate sales by driving operational initiatives such as Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma which ultimately resulted in certification in the Caterpillar Supplier Quality Excellence Program.
“Chris brings a tremendous wealth of experience, and truly embodies the spirit of quality, service, and innovation that Leading Edge is known for,” said Mike Manclark, CEO, Leading Edge Aviation Services. “For Leading Edge to truly take the next step, I had to find someone who would not just fit well with our company and its culture, but more importantly bring in major operational strengths that we’ll need on our path toward international growth. I’m confident that Chris is just the person to do that.”
Previously, Chris was CFO of Day Software AG, a public Swiss-based company that he helped grow from a million dollar operation to a global heavyweight that was eventually sold to Adobe Systems for $240 million in 2010. He also held a Director of Financial Advisory Services position with Price Waterhouse, where he maintained leadership roles.
Harano holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a master’s degree from the Sloan School of Management at MIT and is a Certified Public Accountant.
“It’s a real honor to join a company that’s as well-positioned as Leading Edge,” said Harano. “I look forward to working with our friends, partners and customers during the many exciting years ahead.”
About Leading Edge Aviation Services
Headquartered in Santa Ana, Calif., with facilities across the United States, Leading Edge Aviation Services, Inc. is one of the most advanced, commercial aircraft services companies in the world. Specializing in commercial, private, and military aircraft painting, the company also provides a wide range of commercial services, including fuel system servicing, mod-center support, contract labor, line-turn maintenance, composite and sheet metal, long and short term aircraft storage, field audits, fleet assessments, interior deep cleaning, and strip and painting services to various branches of the United States Military. For more information, click here
by admin on Jan 18, 2011, under Uncategorized
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in business, it’s that you have to spend money to make money. At Leading Edge, we’ve spent the past 20 years investing in new infrastructure, state-of-the-art equipment, increasing our capacity nationwide, and building long-term partnerships with the world’s top airlines.
Two decades later, as the industry enters a new era of consolidation; that strategy is paying off. Like us, our partners know that realizing the true value of a merger means not just revamping their name, but the entire look of their aircraft. And nobody has painted more aircraft for more airlines than Leading Edge.
In the past few years, we’ve shown the world that we’ve got what it takes to respond to even the most challenging projects and demanding timelines.
Case in point – in 2010 we completed a staggering 350 aircraft in just 14 months for the new Northwest/Delta merger. That’s 350 on top of the hundreds more we paint each year for other airlines, the military, and special one-off projects like the F/A-18 Hornet flown by the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels, now housed at the San Diego Air & Space Museum.
So how are we making all this happen? It’s been a steady combination of efficiency and growth. In Amarillo, we’re adding 100 new positions to beef up capacity, we just opened a remodeled hangar that handles even bigger aircraft, and we’re opening a new regional headquarters to keep things on track.
In California, we added over 100 positions to our Victorville facility which now operates around the clock, 365 days a year. And to attract and keep talent, we’re working with the city to launch a new home-buyer’s program to get employees into new homes faster than ever before.
Down south in Mississippi, we’ve inked a long-term deal to lease a new hanger and have purchased a new commercial building located across the street from the future site of a new federal building. The new building will have a restaurant, bar and a number of amenities to service the company’s growing workforce in the Greenville community.
And for those customers who are better serviced at their own hangars, we launched a highly-skilled away-team or “A-Team” that brings our world-class painting service right to their door.
As a result of these investments, Leading Edge 2009 and 2010 have been the biggest years yet for Leading Edge. Volume is up. Revenues are up. But most importantly, spirits are up as Leading Edge continues to raise the industry bar in terms of performance, service and excellence.
The truth is, no aircraft painting company has ever enjoyed the capacity and flexibility and reliability provided by Leading Edge.
As we move into 2011, it is with great pleasure that use this capacity to help customers like United and Continental ease the transition of their newly-formed partnership. We’ve been working with the airlines for nearly ten years. And over the next 30 months, we’ll see more than 350 aircraft emerging from our hangars with United’s new livery. On behalf of everyone at Leading Edge, we thank United and Continental for their continued business, and look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.
Sincerely,
Mike Manclark.
About Leading Edge Aviation Services
Headquartered in Santa Ana, Calif., with facilities across the United States, Leading Edge Aviation Services, Inc. is one of the most advanced, commercial aircraft services companies in the world. Specializing in commercial, private, and military aircraft painting, the company also provides a wide range of commercial services, including complete interior refurbishments fuel system servicing, mod-center support, contract labor, line-turn maintenance, composite and sheet metal, long and short term aircraft storage, field audits, fleet assessments, interior deep cleaning, and strip and painting services to various branches of the United States Military. For more information, click here.
by admin on Jan 12, 2011, under Uncategorized
Over the past few years, few stories have captured headlines quite like mergers and acquisitions, and 2010 is no exception. This year, United and Continental made history when they merged to become the biggest force in commercial aviation, both at home and around the world.
The massive merger displaced Delta’s position as number one, a title it held for just two years when it teamed up with Northwest Airlines to leapfrog past American Airlines and United.
Now, in a case of déjà-vous, United and No. 4 Continental banded together to usurp Delta-Northwest, reclaiming the throne as industry leader in terms of size. The new carrier will take United’s name, but will sport a paint scheme that looks much like Continental’s pre-merger design.
The deal closed on Oct. 1, but it will still be quite a while before the two carriers really begin to function as a single carrier. For now, United and Continental continue to fly under their own brand and operating certificates, while companies like Leading Edge begin the long-term process of transforming hundreds of aircraft with a unified paint scheme.
So how long will the new United Airlines be able to hold the top spot? No one knows for sure. But in an era ripe with consolidation, only time will tell.
About Leading Edge Aviation Services
Headquartered in Santa Ana, CA with facilities across the United States, Leading Edge Aviation Services, Inc. is one of the most advanced, commercial aircraft services companies in the world. Specializing in commercial, private, and military aircraft painting, the company also provides a wide range of commercial services, including fuel system, mod-center support, contract labor, line-turn maintenance, composite and sheet metal, long and short-term aircraft storage, field audits, fleet assessments, interior deep cleaning, and strip and painting services to various branches of the United States Military. For more information, click here
by admin on Nov 16, 2010, under Uncategorized
When it comes to aircraft painting, nobody beats Leading Edge. We specialize in commercial aircraft painting, military aircraft painting, and mod center support that are second to none when it comes to value and reliability.
At Leading Edge Aviation Services, we put quality and innovation into everything we do. We constantly look for new ways to partner with our clients to help them reduce costs, maximize their budgets, and reduce downtime.
Our new full-service aircraft interiors program is the perfect complement to our airline painting services. And our mobile aircraft painting experts, or “Away Team” as they’re called, are now traveling the globe, making MRO painting fast, efficient, and profitable, for both commercial aircraft and military mod centers alike.
So no matter where you are or what you do, Leading Edge Aviation wants to be your aircraft paint shop. From vintage airplane painting and military painting, to special “Hollywood” projects, we’ve done it all. To find out more, contact Leading Edge today.
by admin on Nov 5, 2010, under Leading Edge Aviation Press Release
Airlines can Now Refurbish Aircraft Inside and Out Significantly Reducing Downtime
Leading Edge Aviation Services, Inc. (LEAS), the world’s largest commercial aircraft painting company, has successfully launched an Aircraft Interiors Program to compliment its exterior painting operations. The new service means that airlines can transform their aircraft with a fresh new look – inside and out – in as little as six days.
“We’ve found that with the recession and a number of recent mergers, there’s never been a greater need for this kind of one-stop shopping,” said Mike Manclark, CEO, LEAS. “As a maintenance partner to virtually all the major airlines, it’s our job to find creative new ways to get them there. That’s why we launched this service. Instead of a separate trip to the shop to for new fabrics, seats, or even lavatories, our customers can now get that done while the aircraft is being painted. It’s just one more way we’re making things easier for our customers during this tough economic time.”
As part of our new suite of interior services, Leading Edge now offers everything from cabin mods to change outs, including carpets, fabrics, seatback covers, countertops, overheads, lavatories and more. Originally piloted in the company’s Victorville, CA facility, the service has received overwhelming customer response, and is now available at all Leading Edge locations across the country.
“The Interiors Program is really about giving airlines better, more efficient tools to make a good impression,” added Manclark. “It’s a fast and efficient way to give an aircraft a brand new level of polish and professionalism without the costly wait. This way they’re back in the air faster, there’s less costs with out-of-service days, and the aircraft are looking better than ever. It truly is a win-win situation.”
About Leading Edge Aviation Services
Headquartered in Santa Ana, Calif., with facilities across the United States, Leading Edge Aviation Services, Inc. is one of the most advanced, commercial aircraft services companies in the world. Specializing in commercial, private, and military aircraft painting, the company also provides a wide range of commercial services, including complete interior refurbishments fuel system servicing, mod-center support, contract labor, line-turn maintenance, composite and sheet metal, long and short term aircraft storage, field audits, fleet assessments, interior deep cleaning, and strip and painting services to various branches of the United States Military. For more information, visit www.leadingedgecorp.com.
