Peter Murray, EirTrade Aviation’s senior key account manager, tells us about the company’s role in the fast-paced engine used serviceable material (USM) market, and explains that being flexible to customer expectations goes a long way.

As senior key account manager at EirTrade Aviation, what role do you play in shaping engine USM activity for the company?

Within my current role, I guarantee that all customers including airlines and MROs worldwide have access to the most in-demand material through enhanced communication, keeping track of changes within the USM Market, ensuring all requirements are adhered to in a professional manner and, most importantly, by the creation and nurturing of relationships to ensure that our customers do not have to look beyond EirTrade Aviation for their material needs.

You’ve been with EirTrade Aviation now for over 10 years; in what ways do you think the landscape of the engine USM market has changed for both the aviation industry and the company?

Since I started at EirTrade in 2013, the company has grown to circa 100 people and further expanded internationally across our global network. This growth has enabled us to develop within all global markets, and our Dallas facility has ensured we extend the name of EirTrade Aviation as a highly professional supplier of top tier engine material in an historically challenging American market.

To support the expansion of our customer base, we must meet new and ever-changing engine material requirements. EirTrade Aviation’s continued ability to adapt across all engine models, combined with increasing our pipeline by purchasing full assets and engines alongside strong consignment programmes with leasing companies and airlines, enables us to support these expectations.

Central to this capability is investment in our technical department who ensure we have complete back-to-birth traceability, and their experience is second to none. They ensure that when a customer purchases a unit from us, they know the trace meets the industry’s high standards.

Regarding the engine USM market, the major change has been the increased importance of trace paperwork for each individual component which provides a complete history of the part and increases the high-quality standards that organisations need to adhere to within the industry.

EirTrade Aviation fully embraces these standards and has a department dedicated to meeting and surpassing them.

What specific used engine materials are you seeing to be most in demand at the moment? Do you think there is a particular reason for this?

We’re seeing huge demand across the board on CFM56, CF6, PW4000 and V2500, of course the tier 1 material always sells the best.

In addition to this there is currently increased demand for material such as mid-life core LLPs, HPT blades, LPT blades and fan blades across all engine platforms.

Historically, demand for this material is due to high scrappage rates, lack of availability of piece parts, blockages in workshops and increased engine shop visits, leading to a shortage of available tagged material in the market. To address this, we have our own dedicated, in-house purchasing department who work in co-operation with the material sales division to monitor the market for certified material in an effort to overcome extended turnaround times at repair stations.

What would you say are the main factors/advantages of USM over other options such as sourcing new OEM parts, DER repairs, or procuring PMA parts?

There are several advantages to using USM, but the primary ones are cost efficiency and material accessibility.

An increment in engine disassembly worldwide has led to increased access to surplus USM in the market. This can be vital to our customers, especially when assisting with AOGs – also having offices within the USA and Europe enable us to eliminate time delays no matter where the units are located.

While we are always striving for the highest quality and OEM standard parts to supply, we are also seeing a significant increase in the acceptance of DER & PMA material from our customer base; we’re able to make use of this and where applicable, salvage additional value for our customers.

With the average USM engine component being a fraction of the price of a new OEM part, EirTrade Aviation is able to supply the same unit which meets all quality standards at a lower cost.

USM provides the industry with a sustainable option for parts sourcing; how important is it for EirTrade Aviation to be active in improving environmental concerns?

We take environmental concerns very seriously and we are constantly seeking to make our policies as environmentally friendly as possible.

We always ensure that each aircraft and engine disassembly deliver maximum efficiency and quality for our customers while taking the necessary precautions to ensure that the process is environmentally friendly and does not have any negative impact on the local eco-system. Furthermore, we are an AFRA and ASA-100 accredited disassembly service provider.

EirTrade Aviation is known for its stringent quality control; what is the company’s process to ensure that engine USM meets industry standards and are airworthy?

Our inventory meets the highest quality standards with EASA/FAA/CAAC-approved release certificates combined with complete traceability. The data held within our technical records is second to none, and all material within our inventory is thoroughly scrutinised so that it meets industry standards prior to approval.

We ensure that customers know when they work with EirTrade Aviation quality is guaranteed.

Does technology/digitalisation play a part in engine USM activity? Are any platforms/systems helping to improve efficiency?

It does indeed. We currently use the AvSight software platform which enables us to provide real-time updates to customers about their orders, it allows our sales team to interact with all our departments to ensure excellent customer service. The software also assists in allowing us immediate access to all material documentation and to share this data instantly with customers.

AvSight also plays an important role in highlighting material market trends in terms of their cost and availability; it is a great tool which we utilise to stay up-to-date and pre-empt our customers’ needs.

With EirTrade Aviation’s engine disassembly facility being located close to Dublin Airport, what benefits does this bring for engine USM activity?

A vast number of our customers have tight lead times for repaired material and being so close to the airport assists in reducing shipping delays.

In respect of AOGs the location, combined with our strong relationships with all major shipping organisations, means our customers’ needs are met in a timely and professional manner.

What about EirTrade Aviation’s relationships with the wider aviation community; is this a key factor too?

Excellent relationships with members of the aviation community have been a key driver of our success since the company began back in 2010.

In my 25 years of experience working within this industry I have found that creating a strong rapport with supporting services such as logistics and repair stations is just as important as building on your customer base. Relationships with these companies play a very important role in assisting us to meet our customers’ complex needs.

What trends do you think will shape the future of the engine USM market? How is EirTrade Aviation preparing for opportunities and minimising threats/risks in the market?

We believe the main issues affecting the engine USM market relate to extended lead times in relation to part repairs and also an increase in material costs.

EirTrade Aviation will be in a strong position to support and assist within this environment due to our close relationships with airlines, MROs and leasing companies that have been fostered since 2010.

Developing our knowledge and experience across all engine types, together with our strong experience within the industry, has enabled us to be in a prime position to develop and grow in a proactive manner alongside the growth of the USM market.

About Peter Murray…

A seasoned sales professional with over two decades of experience in the aircraft parts trading industry, Murray has been an integral part of EirTrade Aviation’s success since 2013 when he joined the company as a sales manager.

In his current role, Murray now spearheads the management of key client accounts, leveraging his extensive industry expertise to propel EirTrade Aviation’s growth and market prominence.

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