Ocean Sky is plotting expansion across its five divisions as part of an ambitious restructuring effort that aims to position the UK-based company among the top three business aviation services providers in Europe before the end of the decade.
The plan is being spearheaded by Ocean Sky Group's recently appointed chief executive, Steve Grimes, who previously headed the company's jet centre business.
Ocean Sky began life in 2003 as an aircraft broker and has since added to its portfolio aircraft charter and management services, maintenance repair and overhaul, completions and aircraft handling through its expanding jet centre network that already has UK bases in Prestwick, Scotland, Manchester and, most recently, at London Luton airport.
"We have huge plans for Ocean Sky," says Grimes, who was also formerly chief executive of rival aviation services provider Harrods Aviation. "We plan to take the company to the next level."
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The strategy includes adding 10 to 12 fixed-base operations at "high-value" strategic locations throughout Europe within the next 18 months, with two to three acquisitions already being lined up in the next couple of months. Ocean Sky is also expanding the maintenance provision across its bases to accommodate a range of airframers, including Dassault and Bombardier, and is looking to expand its share of the completions business after its recent acquisition of Manchester-based interior refurbishment company Dean Aircraft Interiors.
On the operating side, Grimes says Ocean Sky plans to boost its fleet from 23 aircraft to about 40 by the end of 2010 through aircraft management "and we will also start to offer aircraft sales for the first time." Grimes says the economic crisis has brought Ocean Sky "a significant number of opportunities to grow the business through organic growth and acquisitions".
He adds: "The downturn has given us the opportunity us to offer a full range of services for our customers and we hope to be one of the leading names in each of the categories."
Source: Flight International
