Case Study: Enabling Big Data Analytics and Business Intelligence for SK AeroSafety Group

Overview

SK AeroSafety Group supports the global aerospace community with specialized MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Operations) component services. With sixteen facilities strategically located worldwide and headquartered in Europe, the group is a well-balanced, diverse organization. It brings together experienced companies with deep sector knowledge and a focused approach to maintaining and repairing aviation safety equipment.

The Challenge

As a growing global organization, SK AeroSafety Group faced challenges in understanding the profitability of its business across all 16 facilities. Financial data was being pulled into Excel and consolidated at the group level, the process was plagued by data discrepancies and quality issues. This lack of visibility into the business's profit drivers created operational inefficiencies and hindered decision-making.

Some of the core pain points included:

• Siloed Systems: Each facility operated independently, requiring extensive administrative work to consolidate data into a unified group view.

• Dirty Data: Duplications and inconsistencies in data made it difficult to draw actionable insights or identify trends.

• Excel Dependency: Reliance on Excel-based models that only held a subset of the data limited the depth of analysis.

• Inconsistent Pricing & Margins: Variability in pricing, supplier costs, and repair management across facilities led to inefficiencies and missed opportunities for standardization.

• Granularity Issues: Lack of detailed visibility from the company level down to product, job scope, and part number hindered profitability analysis.

Objectives

To address these challenges, SK AeroSafety Group partnered with Aero NextGen to achieve the following objectives:

1. Enhance Decision-Making: Provide high-quality and reliable data visualizations to support strategic decisions.

2. Standardize Operations: Drive cost-saving initiatives by standardizing pricing, supplier costs, and repair management across the group.

3. Unlock Insights: Enable in-depth profitability analysis by product line, customer, department, and part number.

The Solution

Ben Te Beek, CEO of SK AeroSafety Group, recognized the need for a comprehensive solution to gain visibility into the business's key drivers. He sought Aero NextGen’s expertise in matching MROs with technology providers to solve operational challenges and optimize efficiency.

Aero NextGen identified a technology solution that integrated seamlessly with SK AeroSafety’s existing systems, including Quantum and siloed Excel spreadsheets. Within just 6-8 weeks, the first set of analytics was delivered, providing actionable insights into the group's operations.

The solution focused on:

• Big Data Analytics: Consolidating data from multiple sources into a unified platform for analysis.

• Business Intelligence: Creating dynamic dashboards and visualizations for real-time decision-making.

• Standardization: Establishing group-wide standards for pricing, supplier costs, and repair management.

• Granularity: Offering detailed insights from the company level down to individual products, customers, and part numbers.

Challenges Overcome

1. Data Consolidation: Eliminated the need for manual administrative work by automating data consolidation across all facilities.

2. Improved Data Quality: Addressed issues of dirty data and duplications, ensuring reliable insights.

3. Scalability: Replaced Excel-based models with a scalable analytics platform capable of handling large datasets.

4. Operational Consistency: Standardized pricing, margins, and cost structures across the group.

5. Granular Analysis: Enabled detailed profitability analysis by breaking down data into actionable segments.

Measurable Outcomes

The partnership between Aero NextGen and SK AeroSafety Group delivered transformative results:

• 1% Net Profit Uplift: Insights from cost-saving initiatives unlocked a 1% increase in net profit.

• Margin Analysis: Provided detailed margin insights by product line, customer, supplier, and department.

• Operational Efficiency: Reduced administrative workload through data automation and standardization.

• Enhanced Decision-Making: Empowered leadership with reliable, real-time data visualizations.

Monica Badra, Founder of Aero NextGen, reflects on the collaboration:
"Ben is one of the most disruptive leaders I’ve worked with in the industry. Always ahead of the curve, he knew that in order to operate at the right level, he needed visibility into the business drivers. By standardizing and optimizing operational and supply chain behaviors across facilities, SK AeroSafety Group has positioned itself as a leader in the aviation MRO sector."

With Aero NextGen’s expertise and ecosystem of robust analytics solutions, SK AeroSafety Group has transformed its operations. The group now benefits from a unified view of its business, enabling data-driven decisions and unlocking new levels of profitability.

This success story highlights the power of big data analytics and business intelligence in driving operational excellence and financial performance in the aviation MRO industry.