Supply Chain Capabilities

API focuses on supply chain functions, enabling customers to concentrate on their core competencies and business issues. As a supply chain partner, API strives to boost its customers’ product support and customer satisfaction ratings by increasing product availability, minimizing time to delivery and reducing process and working capital costs. API also provides customers with key business data and metrics – such as product usage by work order, inventory status by location, availability rate by part number and repair cycle times – in order to allow customers to most effectively manage their business.

Supply Chain capabilities

 

Industry Needs

  • Availability
  • Low cost
  • Vendor management
  • Credit/Financing
  • Electronic data interface
  • Rotables management
  • Quality control and traceability
  • Returns/Warranties
  • Documents and certifications
  • Just-in-time/AOG response
  • Kitting and MRO
  • Technical support
  • Special handling
Planning

API's forecasting systems include numerous algorithms that find trends in historical data to predict future demand by part number. These systems routinely achieve a fill rate of 97.8% on all planned parts.   For key high-volume items, API achieves over 99 percent availability with high inventory turns.

  • Demand forecasting
  • Global inventory planning
Procurement

API employs a dedicated staff of buyers who manage the company’s relationships with over 150 vendors and nearly 150,000 part numbers. Additionally, API has established EDI links with several of the industry’s largest OEMs in order to minimize the cost of processing purchase orders.

API’s purchasing staff is responsible for holding suppliers accountable for their performance, particularly with regard to on-time delivery and shipment accuracy. As part of API’s continuous improvement initiatives, vendor scorecards are applied to the majority of API’s suppliers.

  • Product line offering
  • Vendor management and accountability
  • Volume purchasing
  • EDI
Inventory Control

API’s Southaven facility boasts over 5.5 million cubic feet for inventory storage.  For every part in API’s control, the company’s ERP system automatically tracks all batch, lot and serial numbers, and electronically manages all manufacturers’ documents and certifications. API’s inventory control personnel conduct daily cycle counts that help our warehouse operations achieve picking and shipping error rates of less than 0.2 percent.

  • Lot and serial control
  • Product traceability
  • Hazmat handling
  • Shelf-life management
  • Documentation and certification management
  • Quality control and inspection with DAR/ODAR capabilities
Order Fulfillment

API’s state-of-the-art call centers and e-commerce infrastructure are available to meet the ordering needs of both API’ � � � � � � s distribution customers and supply chain clients.

API’s ERP system automatically routes parts orders to the appropriate warehouse locations for picking, packing and shipping. API’s location in Memphis, Tenn., provides customers with numerous shipping options, including overnight service by FedEx Express up until midnight Eastern Time. Same-day counter-to-counter services are also available through a Northwest Airlines hub at Memphis International Airport.

For Supply Chain customers, API can provide “private label” call center and Internet Web sites, so that API does not interfere with our clients’ relationships with their own customers. Additionally, API’s Internet, e-commerce and EDI capabilities provide supply chain clients with more technically advanced order entry systems, including hands-free communications, if desired.

API also provides 24/7 AOG service for all customers.

  • 24x7x365 pick, pack and ship operations
  • E-commerce/Automatic replenishment
  • Kitting (pre-build or kit-to-stock)
  • Call center management and technical support
Reverse Logistics

API’s dedicated returns team efficiently manages product returns, warranty administration and rotable exchanges for API and our Supply Chain clients. API employs an in-house DAR for shipping and returns situations that require FAA certifications.

Additionally, API’s in-house, FAA-authorized repair station, API Technologies, specializes in the overhaul of aircraft brakes and starter-generators. API Technologies is also a Stratoflex TSO’d hose shop and is authorized to manufacture any aircraft hose assembly. API Technologies provides customers with quick turnarounds and high-quality craftsmanship.

  • Warranty/Returns administration
  • FAA repair station
  • Rotables management
Customer Management and Sales

API’s worldwide sales staff provides API with strong sales channels into corporate, general and commercial aviation markets. API’s thousands of customer relationships are built upon years of high customer satisfaction and knowledgeable sales managers. API offers Supply Chain customers access to this worldwide sales staff in order to increase our clients’ aftermarket parts market share.

Additionally, API’s Quality Tracking System (QTS) allows API employees to easily log customer issues or other operation matters into a central database that provides alerts to quality control personnel when problems arise. More importantly, the QTS provides reporting and trending analysis tools that enable API senior management to design and implement new processes and procedures that solve problems before they surface.

  • Global sales force/market knowledge
  • Customer purchase and payment histories and credit management
  • Report generation and analysis

API is a subsidiary of First Aviation Services Inc.