ecube

ECUBE

AIRPLANE RECLAIMER FLIES HIGH ON FLEET PHASE-OUTS

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ECUBE

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AIRPLANE RECLAIMER

FLIES HIGH ON As the world’s leading aircraft end-oflife services provider, ecube is highly specialised in plane disassembly, with a heavy focus on maximising asset values. While sustainability, a circular economy approach and waste minimisation are at the heart of driving the company forward, CEO Lee McConnellogue remains outspoken in seeking industry recognition for the role ecube plays as an end-of-life service provider within the greater aviation circular economy. Report by Andy Probert.

FLEET PHASE-OUTS

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viation has had a far bumpier ride in the last two years due to Covid’s impact than previously imagined.

However, at one end of the aviation spectrum – transitioning, dismantling and repurposing parts from end-of-life planes – there has been an upturn in growth for disassembly specialist ecube.

The company is now the world’s leading aircraft end-of-life service provider and asset custodian, providing care, maintenance, and disassembly programmes, trusted to deliver flexible solutions for a global customer base of lessors, airlines, and parts customers.

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ecube’s focus on customer service,

is anticipating 2023 will see it handle

environmental awareness and

its largest number of aircraft across

matchmaking has created a single-

three locations in its history and

point solution.

further expand its dominance in the

The South Wales-based company has been doing a roaring trade in disassembly

end-of-life services sector,” said CEO Lee McConnellogue.

projects. In the first five months of 2023 alone, it delivered more than 16,000 com-

The three ‘E’s of business

ponents back into the aviation supply chain.

ecube began life 12 years ago when the

Spurred by growth and tapping unlimited

founders devised the company brand

potential in the global marketplace, ecube

around three ‘E’s: Environmental, Economic

has expanded to new locations in Castellón,

and End of Life services. The business was

Spain, and Coolidge Municipal Airport,

launched in a hangar at St Athan, a former

Arizona, USA. These sites help enhance

Ministry of Defence base, but expanded to

the business’ mission to lead the industry

three locations as demand steadily grew.

in sustainable class-leading fleet phase-

In 2019, the company opened its Spanish

out solutions. “ecube is progressing very well. With

facility, which Mr McConnellogue described as a “great moment to break out of the UK

disassembly numbers in the industry

and allay clients’ concerns over Brexit,

having peaked in 2019, the company

while laying down extra capacity.”

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ECUBE

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we are expanding to meet rising demand.

All these investments immeasurably add to ecube’s global standing.”

Tapping major potential ecube opened its third facility at Coolidge The same year, it saw a record number of

Municipal Airport in October 2022 with its

disassemblies and increased market share.

first project starting in February 2023.

“We had 80 plane arrivals and dismantled

Arizona offers a stable, dry climate – per-

73 wide and narrow-bodied aircraft,” he

fect for storing and disassembling aircraft.

continued. “Of course, the pandemic had

“Also, Coolidge has not been developed

a seismic impact on the world and aviation

by other disassembly companies,”

back in 2020. Many predicted there would

Mr McConnellogue explained. “It has

be a sizeable rush to disassemble aircraft.

a runway that can accommodate 747s

It didn’t happen. In 2020 and 2021, ecube

and allows us the opportunity to set the

kept growing and retained its market

standard and raise expectations.”

share, in a market adjusting to an uncertain future.

Coolidge has already welcomed more than 20 aircraft since its launch and seen

“We are now investing in our facilities

the first disassembly project commence

in the UK to enable us to remain here for

on an Airbus A319 for Killick Aerospace. “We

another 20 years. Spain will launch a new

aim to provide our customers with a ‘one

logistics facility so it can process more

aircraft, three locations’ optionality, where

aircraft than ever before and, in the US,

the location is selected on the merits of the

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ECUBE

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asset funding, tax/customs, lessee, and

structures, components, and interiors before

slot availability requirements,” he continued.

the remains go to recycling, according to

“Having a facility in the US has not only

Mr McConnellogue: “We try to find a second

given ecube access to a significant dis-

use: whether it be a piece of bespoke furni-

assembly market but provided our cus-

ture, an office for a rear garden with a piece

tomers access to the same service levels

of the fuselage to work in, or a cockpit to be

across all regions. The expectation is for

converted into a simulator.

Coolidge to be our second largest base by volume in 2024.”

“It’s an important part of the business, but you still face several tonnes of material

While ecube is on track to handle its

that needs to be managed. That’s when

biggest number of aircraft this year, it has

we partner with responsible recyclers

also received UK Civil Aviation Authority

globally. Last year, we disposed of 1,200

approval to offer aircraft line maintenance

tonnes, but without that repurposed step-

services from St Athan for the Airbus A320

in, it could have been significantly more.

and Boeing 737 families and Boeing 757,

So, we stop a significant amount of

767 and 777.

material going to recycling.”

The lion’s share of ecube’s core services is primed to extract as much value from EOL

Raising concerns

planes for owners or lessees – and as sus-

“We are a part of the broader

tainably and safely as possible. “We remove

aviation industry and play a critical role,”

the parts a client needs – that can vary from

said Mr McConnellogue, “however, there

500 and 1,500 parts,” Mr McConnellogue

is a significant gap as circularity needs

said. “We look at and offer value in other

to be recognised in the 2050 net zero

parts and effectively stop them from being

pledges laid down by IATA, the governing

wasted. The parts go back into the supply

body of aerospace.

chain, achieving a circular economy.”

“IATA is completely focused on the

However, when left with the plane’s

inflow of new equipment and how it’s

skeleton, ecube steps in to repurpose

operated. There has been no end-of-life

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conversation. We need to play a part

parts distributors. Unless you manage the

in that dialogue. The current focus is on

outflow better, you end up with a growing

sustainable aviation fuel, more efficient

waste problem, something the industry

engines, aircraft routing and carbon cap-

can ill afford.”

ture initiatives. That is admirable, but we

Mr McConnellogue is steadfast that

have missed a trick as we are not talking

ecube remains on schedule in adapting

about EOL.

to clients’ needs and ensuring a price point

“Pumping the industry with new product

that represents value: “The environmental

means something has to flow out the

and responsibility elements, plus the

other end, and we deal with it responsibly.

governance we put in place, differenti-

As an industry, we are behind when

ates us in the industry.

looking at comparable sectors such

“It’s inevitable that, in the near future,

as automotive when thinking about

customers will only deal with organisations

the circular economy.

that are hitting recognisable standards

“Dealing with the secondary first

and ones that are transparent about their

approach is what we do. But when you look

performance. ecube is proud to be diamond-

at companies in automotive like BMW, who

level accredited with the Aircraft Fleet

have that approach in their product design,

Recycling Association, the preeminent

it’s clear that the aviation industry is behind.

industry group focused on end-of-life

At ecube we focus on the circular

assets. Via its Best Management Practices,

economy by taking parts from an aircraft

AFRA has delivered this standard and

and putting them back in the supply chain

transparency,” he concluded. “ecube’s

to reduce the need for new. But we are

outlook is good; and as the industry

only one of the many stake holders, be

recovers, we will increasingly play an

that regulators, OEMS, asset owners or

influential role within it.”

n

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