Fast-growing Australian aircraft sales, support and maintenance company Hawker Pacific is planning two or three acquisitions in the Asia-Pacific region this year.
The Sydney-based company has made a number of acquisitions in the past two years, including New Zealand helicopter sales company Wing and Rotor last year. This purchase was part of a strategy to expand its rotary-wing business. In addition to facilities throughout Australia, Hawker Pacific has bases in New Zealand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. The company's diverse activities include aircraft and helicopter sales, representing Raytheon, Bell/Agusta Aero- space and Bell Helicopter; maintenance, repair and overhaul; aircraft charter business Sydney Jet Charter and the Hawker Pacific Flight Centre fixed-base operation at Sydney airport.
"We are definitely looking at strategic acquisitions for growth," says Alan Smith, chief executive. The first acquisition could happen within two to three months, he adds. They will be within the company's core business areas and in the Asia-Pacific region, says Smith, declining to elaborate. "We see ourselves as an Asia-Pacific company. Regionally we are a significant player and that's our strength," says Smith.
Meanwhile, Smith says the company is seeing an upturn in interest in corporate aircraft in the region. Hawker Pacific is a sales representative for Raytheon's business jets, regional airliners, pistons and turboprops throughout the region. In particular, the mid-size Hawker 800XP is proving popular, with recent deliveries in the Philippines and Indonesia and a number of good prospects in Malaysia, he says.
n Guam-based fractional ownership and charter operator ShareJet has leased a secondhand Dassault Falcon 50 from the manufacturer. ShareJet plans to take delivery of the aircraft in June and base it at Singapore's Seletar airport.
Source: Flight International
