Specialist Aviation Paint Facility
Waikato Specialist Aviation Paint Facility
The AIC plans to establish a long term profitable and sustainable specialist aviation paint facility that meets the quality standards, price requirements and throughput requirements of its shareholders and the wider aviation industry. The facility is expected to become a catalyst for attracting other aviation refurbishment and manufacturing businesses to Hamilton.
The Cluster is proceeding with establishing a world class quality Aviation Specialist Paint:
- Has sufficient preparation space to allow painting and preparation to happen separately and simultaneously
- Can cater for repainting existing aircraft and painting of new aircraft at the same time
- Meets health and safety requirements and environmental requirements
- Has sufficient heat/paint dry capabilities to allow appropriate improved throughput
- Is attractive to other aviation customers from around the country and internationally
- Has sufficient capacity to meet projected throughput requirements of its primary customers and has quality and cost advantages compared to competitors
- Is run by a professional experienced management team
- Is a stand-alone profitable business
The design consists of 3 stages. Stage 1 will take maximum advantage of the current market that is wide open to a specialist paint facility for aircraft. Stage 1 allows the facility to accommodate aircraft from Pacific Aerospace, Oceania, CTC, GA aircraft and Eagle Air Beech 1900’s, and some light personal jet aircraft. It has a separate parts spray booth and could handle a second manufacturer the same size as PAL, catering for alodine treatment and custom paint jobs. This is a significant market alone.
Stage 2 expands the facility to increase the output of the current aircraft identified for Stage 1. This timing of this stage is based around the success of the business. In addition, based on market demand, there is flexibility for Stage 2 to be delayed while Stage 3 is completed first.
Stage 3 is based around the call to start doing ATR sized aircraft. It opens the facility to some midsized passenger aircraft and private jets. The design allows for a moveable wall to split a larger paint bay into two smaller bays, depending on the demand of the smaller GA aircraft or helicopters. This makes it possible to substitute Stage 3 for Stage 2 without damaging existing requirements for output.
An alternative to Stage 3 has become a major option for future expansion and could be developed earlier than expected or in conjunction with Stage 1. There is a building market for painting alternatives for 737 and A320 aircraft in New Zealand and Australia. A full feasibility study is to be done on this aspect of the business.
The design has now taken on something quite special that will make this facility stand out around the world. We plan to use New Zealand developed techniques and aerodynamics for better spray painting with high quality paint finishes in much faster time frames than currently used by the industry.
The capabilities of this facility will make it a market leader. The adoption of “LEAN” principals will increase productivity and improve profitability, which will directly affect the return on investment. With a minimum ROI of 28% this is an exciting and profitable venture. With the full support of the Aviation Industry Cluster and industry alike this venture allows for future expansion and increasing profitability.
Stage 1 Development:
