Kellstrom Defense Acquires Williams Aerospace and Manufacturing

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Jan 07, 2019, 09:00 ET

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Jan. 7, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Kellstrom Defense Aerospace (KDA) today announced the acquisition of Williams Aerospace and Manufacturing Inc. (WAM) based in San Diego County, California.

WAM's manufacturing capabilities will be combined with the current KDA Engineered Products operating segment and will retain the Williams Aerospace and Manufacturing brand identity in the market. WAM has been a long-term Lockheed Martin Hologram Product Program licensee for the P-3 and C-130 and a manufacturer of parts for the C-5, F-16 and other U.S. OEM defense platforms.

Over its more than 20-year history, WAM has developed a range of proprietary tooling for the manufacture of complex defense aircraft parts as well as strong capabilities in thermoplastic molding, CNC machining and the integration of aerospace and defense aftermarket components. A combination of WAM manufacturing expertise and KDA product design engineering will be deployed to support increased legacy spare parts solutions for the global military aircraft operator community.

KDA CEO Chris Celtruda comments, "The addition of Williams Aerospace and Manufacturing to our group of companies adds a significant breadth of capability that supports our strategic growth plans and the needs of our global customer base. We expect to rapidly integrate the Williams Aerospace and Manufacturing business while investing in product development to expand our solution set for military aircraft sustainment."

"We are excited to move forward as part of the Kellstrom Defense team," comments WAM co-owners William Cary and Shane Nonthavet. "Joining the KDA team offers the right solution for us to continue to be engaged with our employees and customers while creating new opportunities for future growth."

KDA has partnered with its current financial backers, PNC Mezzanine Capital and Barings as well as Blue Torch Capital, as lead arranger for the senior debt financing, to complete this transaction. Houlihan Lokey Inc. served as financial advisor and placement agent. The combined companies are expected to exceed $160 million in total global sales for the 2019 calendar year. Additional financial terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.

About Kellstrom Defense Aerospace Inc.:

Kellstrom Defense Aerospace Inc. ("KDA") is a global integrated provider of parts and sustainment solutions for legacy defense aircraft, with a focus on OEM strategic distribution, component repair services and the manufacture of engineered products for military transports, fighter and rotary wing platforms. The Kellstrom Defense Aerospace business is headquartered in El Segundo, California, and serves the U.S. military and customers in over 60 partnering nations. Current operating locations include Camarillo, California; Miramar, Florida; Macon, Georgia; Cambridge, United Kingdom; Windsor, Australia; Singapore; United Arab Emirates; and Indonesia. KDA is committed to compliance, with hundreds of active export licenses and dedicated contract, export and security personnel. The Kellstrom Defense Advantage is being the respected global leader for defense aircraft sustainment, deploying an experienced team and complete capabilities to solve customer challenges. Further information is available at www.kellstromdefense.com and www.c130.com.