With its recent warehouse renovation at the Peterborough Regional Airport, KADEX Aero Supply will be better positioned to soar to new heights.
Adding another 10,000 square feet of space, the strategic renovation will aid the global aviation parts supplier with improved efficiency and operations, further enhancing customer experience and supporting significant growth across North America and the globe.
“This has been in the making for a while,” says Jordan Lavery, Vice President of Business Development at KADEX. “I’m glad we expanded so we can have more product on the shelves to continue delivering the operational excellence and customer satisfaction we have been committed to for over 30 years.”
Growing from Peterborough to serve a global aviation market
An aircraft parts and service distributor, KADEX was launched in Peterborough in 1994 by President and CEO John Lavery and Vice President Ken Blow.
Specializing in OEM and FAA-approved PMA parts, KADEX stocks over 200,000 products from over 70 manufacturers at its two main facilities in Peterborough and Calgary. The addition of 10,000 square feet at its Peterborough facility brings the company’s total space at both locations to around 50,000 square feet.
The Peterborough warehouse expansion comes as the company enters a new era following its recent acquisition by Chorus Aviation, a Canadian publicly traded holding company that also owns regional airlines Jazz Aviation and Voyageur Aviation, as well as professional flight training operation Cygnet Aviation Academy and Elisen & Associates, a provider of aerospace engineering and certification services.
The acquisition will allow KADEX, which will continue to be operated locally by existing teams, to access additional resources to support its long-term growth and further strengthen strategic relationships.
Reclaimed hangar space doubles storage capacity and streamlines operations
The expansion of KADEX’s headquarters at the Peterborough Regional Airport began after the company reclaimed a hangar space it had leased to another company. Meeting KADEX’s need for growth, the additional space was updated with all-new flooring and metal-clad walls.
The expansion has doubled the KADEX’s storage capacity, and allowed the company to also move oil previously stored in sea-can shipping containers into the temperature-controlled warehouse.
“We have lots of customers worldwide, so we’ve wanted more space for all our stock and products to allow for more capabilities for shipping and receiving,” says Sydney Bainbridge, Rotables and Warranties Administrator at KADEX.
The additional storage space also helps KADEX streamline operations, allowing for faster order processing and helping the company fulfill same-day and overnight shipping.
This will increase existing business opportunities for KADEX at the airport, where fellow aviation and aerospace businesses and flight training schools will benefit from having more parts available on site, and could foster future opportunities as the airport continues to grow, as seen with the new Canadian Flight Academy landing at the airport in March.
The expanded warehouse also means KADEX can maintain more inventory on site, minimizing delivery delays for customers.
“We’re one of the main distributors nationally for oil and tires,” Lavery says. “They take up a lot of space, so this gives us an advantage of stocking more parts in-country and not having to worry about bringing them across the border or about the factory’s shipping time. With production delays happening with many manufacturers, it’s good to have as many parts on the shelf as possible.”
On the shipping side of operations, the renovations included the installation of a spray foam system from Sealed Air, which stabilizes parts so they cannot move when being shipped. For large and heavy parts like landing gear and brakes, this is crucial for preventing damage while in transit.
In addition, KADEX has made adjustments for easily sorting and organizing consumables like boxes, tape, and shipping labels to maintain a more efficient packing process.
New space helps employee communication and morale as well as the environment
While KADEX’s receiving, shipping, and inventory operations were previously all located in different areas, the new warehouse consolidates them into a single space, enhancing efficiency and speed.
“Being within the same space has greatly increased communication between the team,” Bainbridge explains. “It allows us to call out urgent or critical orders so we can jump on them right away, advising one another when an urgent part arrives, and enabling quicker receiving and turnaround for outbound shipments.”
The warehouse expansion has also allowed KADEX to add workstations for all employees so they don’t have to wait for one to become available. Paired with additional locker space and more natural light with the installation of new windows on the hangar doors, these upgrades not only enhance workflow but also increase employee morale.
“We wanted more streamlined positions so that we’re all in a group and working together better,” Bainbridge says. “It expands our opportunity to ship more product, receive more product in, and be able to store it for customers that possibly might be AOG (Aircraft on Ground).”
The new facility also demonstrates KADEX’s green commitment through significant infrastructure investments, including doubling the insulation ratings, moving to high-efficiency LED lighting and heating systems, and switching to an electric forklift.
“We want to be as conscious as possible and try our best to reduce emissions to make an impact,” Bainbridge says. “Packaging for aircraft parts can contribute a lot to the landfill so, where we can, we try to compensate with initiatives like shredding boxes to use as packaging peanuts in place of styrofoam. We do try to do different things to reduce our footprint and see if it works for us and also for our customers.”
Expansion could create new jobs and benefit the community
KADEX’s warehouse expansion and subsequent customer growth could result in local employment opportunities with an increased need for pickers, packers, and shippers, as well as the creation of new roles.
Bainbridge also hopes the business growth will allow KADEX to continue giving back to the community by making donations, participating in local events and celebrations, and investing in the growth of the community – just as KADEX has been doing for over 30 years.
“That’s a benefit to being a part of a medium-sized business,” says Bainbridge. “It’s important for us to show up in the community and give back where we can and this growth will allow us to do that. We’re excited to continue to work with more companies and give back to Peterborough even more.”
To learn more about KADEX Aero Supply, visit kadexaero.com and follow KADEX on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
This branded editorial was created in partnership with KADEX Aero Supply. If your business or organization is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
