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{{Short description|Danish aircraft component and service company}}
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'''Satair''' is an aircraft component and service company based in [[Copenhagen]], [[Denmark]]. Founded in 1957, Satair services range from parts supply and distribution to tailor-made services.<ref>[http://speednews.com/article/7713], ''[[Speed News]]'',  2011. Retrieved on 14 August 2014.</ref> The company became a wholly owned subsidiary of [[Airbus]] in 2011.
== History ==
===Early history===
Satair was founded in 1957.<ref name="Business as Usual">''[http://www.mromanagement.com/feature/the-satar-group-unique-position-between-OEMs-and-airlines?session_id=e7bngas3m7tf11egl0h6p33aa3], ''[[Business as usual (business)|Business as Usual]]'', 2031. Retrieved on 22 September 2014''</ref>  On December 23, 1957, Blicher Jensen, an SAS engineer, and ten of his colleagues founded the Scandinavian Air Trading Co. A/S, collectively putting up share capital of DKK 50,000.  The chairman of the company was Helge W. Hansen, and for the early years Satair was based at his home address. All aspects of buying and selling were handled by the 11 stakeholders; the accounting was performed by Helge W. Hansen's wife.<ref>Steensgaard, Nikolai. [http://www.business.dk/transport/airbus-vil-koebe-satair-for-26-mia], ''[[Key Aero]]'', 27 July 2011. Retrieved on 14 August 2014.</ref><ref name="Project Fly">''Nielsen, N.E. [http://www.lett.dk/Files/Billeder/B%C3%B8ger/Project%20Fly_The%20Satair%20Takeover%20Story.pdf], ''[[Project Fly – The Satair takeover story]]'', 2011. Retrieved on 14 August 2014''</ref>
In 1960, Satair had expanded to the point where it needed a formal office and employees. The first employee of the company was Tove Jeppesen, who was hired as a secretary.<ref name="Project Fly" />  The company continued to grow and by 1970 had 24 employees and an annual net revenue of DKK20 million.  In 1979 the company invested in a new warehouse and office building at Amager Landevej 151, Kastrup, Denmark.<ref name="Project Fly" />
By 1980, Satair had 65 employees and revenue over DKK100 million.
===Fire===
On December 22, 1981, one of Satair's 1967 warehouses caught fire, causing several explosions and necessitating the evacuation of nearby residents. Firefighting efforts continued for two hours but were unable to prevent complete property destruction at the warehouse, resulting in an estimated loss of DKK 30 million to Satair.{{citation needed|date=August 2014}}
=== Later history ===
Satair opened a subsidiary in the United States in 1986 and an office in Singapore in 1988.<ref name="Project Fly" />  However, in 1990 a heavy recession in aviation forced Satair to downsize, especially with regard to its activities within aircraft rental and trade.{{citation needed|date=August 2014}}
Although Satair originally did not believe it likely that the [[Gulf War|First Gulf War]] would impact its business, the hold on purchases put in place by the aviation industry caused Satair sales to drop 60% in the 1991/1992 fiscal year, and as a result the company was forced to downsize its workforce by 23 jobs, 17% of its total staff at the time.{{citation needed|date=August 2014}}
In 1994 Knud Soerensen, the company's CEO, retired and was replaced by John Staer, who was previously the Chief Financial Officer with Ambu International A/S. For the remainder of the 1990s Satair continued to grow and set up subsidiaries in Malaysia and China, as well as taking over companies in France and Switzerland.  On June 3, 1997, Satair A/S obtained a listing on the [[Copenhagen Stock Exchange]].<ref name="Project Fly" />
In 2000, Satair's revenues exceeded DKK 1 billion.  The company launched multiple new concepts, including Satair Direct, the Group's e-commerce concept, and IPP (a new service concept).
In 2001, Satair made the decision to merge its OEM activities with the UK-based C.J. Fox & Sons Ltd. and established Satair Hardware Group. Satair acquired Lentern (Aircraft) Ltd and Lentern International Inc. in 2003, and in 2005 acquired the United States-based [[Pall Corporation]]'s distribution activities for Pall products in the commercial aftermarket in North and South America. Satair purchased TPA Pte Ltd. in 2006, and in 2008 acquired a 49% holding in the Chinese repair company Sichuan Ruibo.<ref>[http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Danish+aircraft+spare+parts+distributor+Satair+A%2FS+acquires+49%25+stake...-a0175078279], ''[[The Free Library]]'', 2008. Retrieved on 19 August 2014.</ref> In 2010, Satair purchased the US-based Aero Hardware, and in 2011 acquired the UK-based Aero Quality Sales.<ref name="Project Fly" />
In November 2011, Satair A/S was delisted from NASDAQ OMX Copenhagen and became a 100% owned subsidiary of Airbus. Satair remained a stand-alone brand and continued as such under Airbus ownership.<ref name="Project Fly" /><ref name="Business as Usual" />
On January 1, 2014, Satair Group was officially launched as the merged organization between Airbus Material & Logistics Management and Satair A/S. The group also opened a new joint facility in Singapore.
<ref name="Seletar">''[http://aviationweek.com/business-aviation/airbus-satair-opens-seletar], [[Key Aero]], 13 February 2014. Retrieved on 14 August 2014.''</ref> In February Satair and Airbus opened their first joint warehouse in Singapore.<ref>Tegtmeier, Lee Ann. [http://aviationweek.com/commercial-aviation/airbus-satair-expand-singapore], ''[[Aviation Week]]'',  24 September 2013. Retrieved on 14 August 2014.</ref><ref name="Business as Usual" />
On November 1, 2016, Bart Reijnen took over as CEO of Satair Group succeeding former CEO Mikkel Bardram.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bart Reijnen new Chief Executive Officer of Satair Group {{!}} AviTrader Aviation News |url=https://www.avitrader.com/2016/11/09/bart-reijnen-new-chief-executive-officer-of-satair-group/ |access-date=2018-04-24 |website=www.avitrader.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
On February 6, 2018, Satair Group adapted its name, logo and visual identity thus transforming into a new identity under the name of Satair.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12395769/satair-group-turns-into-satair-and-combines-the-best-of-both-worlds-with-a-corporate-revamp-right-on-time-for-its-60th-anniversary|title=Satair Group Turns into Satair and Combines the Best of Both Worlds with a Corporate Revamp - Right on Time for Its 60th Anniversary|work=AviationPros.com|access-date=2018-04-24|language=en}}</ref>
On July 20, 2022, Satair acquired the US-based aviation aftermarket services company VAS Aero Services under its US legal entity Satair USA, Inc.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Satair Acquires VAS Aero Services {{!}} Aviation Week Network |url=https://aviationweek.com/mro/services-support/satair-acquires-vas-aero-services |access-date=2024-04-23 |website=aviationweek.com}}</ref>
On October 1, 2023, Richard Stoddart became the new CEO of Satair and Head of Airbus Material Services taking over from former CEO Bart Reijnen.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tamm |first=Heike |date=2023-09-29 |title=Satair appoints Richard Stoddart Chief Executive Officer |url=https://avitrader.com/2023/09/29/satair-appoints-richard-stoddart-chief-executive-officer/ |access-date=2024-04-23 |website=AviTrader Aviation News |language=en-GB}}</ref>
On November 1, 2023, Satair (Chengdu) Co Ltd was established as a legal entity of Satair to purchase pre-owned aircraft and manage trade of used aircraft materials in association with the Airbus Lifecycle Services Center in Chengdu.<ref>{{Cite web |last=杨洋 |title=Airbus establishes wholly-owned subsidiary in Chengdu |url=https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202311/03/WS6544b52ea31090682a5ec556.html |access-date=2024-04-23 |website=www.chinadaily.com.cn}}</ref>
==Current activities==
Today, Satair is a part of Satair Group which is the result of the merged organisation between Satair A/S and Airbus Material Management & Logistics.<ref>Kammel, Benedikt . [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-07-27/airbus-to-buy-denmark-s-satair-for-504-mln-to-add-services-1-.html], ''[[Bloomberg L.P.|Bloomberg]]'',  27 July 2011. Retrieved on 14 August 2014.</ref><ref name="Business as Usual" /> Satair Group and its two channel brands work with a common management and organisational structure. Today, the company has more than US$3 billion in revenues and +1,700 employees at 10 locations worldwide. It has exclusive and primary distribution arrangements for aerospace component manufacturers and supplies these parts to civil airlines, MROs and other customers. It also fulfils the Airbus support obligation for proprietary materials and services for a fleet of over 7,000 Airbus in-service aircraft.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12395769/satair-group-turns-into-satair-and-combines-the-best-of-both-worlds-with-a-corporate-revamp-right-on-time-for-its-60th-anniversary|title=Satair Group Turns into Satair and Combines the Best of Both Worlds with a Corporate Revamp - Right on Time for Its 60th Anniversary|work=AviationPros.com|access-date=2018-04-04|language=en}}</ref>
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
[[Category:Aircraft component manufacturers]]
[[Category:Danish companies established in 1957]]
[[Category:Service companies of Denmark]]
[[Category:Business services companies established in 1957]]
[[Category:2011 mergers and acquisitions]]
[[Category:Companies based in Tårnby Municipality]]