Better connected with the ecube marketplace

The ‘big pause’ experienced by the aviation industry from the onset of the pandemic saw many asset owners in a holding pattern, waiting to make decisions on aircraft returning off lease and destined for EOL activity. Everyone was waiting to understand when the market would recover to a degree that provided some level of confidence in what the future held, with the fundamental metric being passenger demand and traffic which has seen a steady recovery month on month back to 2019 levels.

Total traffic in 2022 (measured in revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) rose 64.4% compared to 2021. Globally, full year 2022 traffic was at 68.5% of pre-pandemic (2019) levels. December 2022 total traffic rose 39.7% compared to December 2021 and reached 76.9% of the December 2019 level.

Ref: IATA - Passenger Demand Recovery Continued in December 2022 and for the Full Year

Over the last couple of months, we have seen increased trading activity across our three locations, where parts company customers who have remained largely dormant in airframe acquisitions during the pandemic are hungry for aircraft to purchase.

Setna iO CEO, David Chaimovitz said: “Dismantling aircraft and engines is an arduous task that often takes years to successfully monetize. As one of the world’s most active parts trading companies, ease of ability to turn an end-of-life asset into inventory is paramount in to deciding on where to deploy capital.”

There is a general sense that everybody knows everybody when it comes to the trading arena, however we have learned from experience that is not always the case. We see a unique opportunity to support both the aircraft sellers and buyers by ‘matchmaking’ both parties with available assets at our locations in UK, EU, and the US.

Introducing the ecube marketplace

When an aircraft is not intended to have an operational future the ‘ecube marketplace’ enables selling parties, our Lessor & Airline customers, to make decisions, send aircraft, and finalise deals without delay.

This is seen as the preferred choice for our primary customers thanks to an active group of purchasing and consignment partners [Parts Companies & Airline MROs] who, due to our third-party logistics offering, are prepared to complete deals on site.

Airframe parts companies have come to rely on the quality of service and quick turnaround times of ecube disassembly projects, as a result many are interested in acquiring aircraft at ecube’s three locations knowing they’ll receive this consistent service and output.

David continued: “When evaluating these assets, one of the first questions we always ask is “where is the asset located?” When we hear “ecube,” we collectively smile. ecube provides a streamlined experience, while also acting as a conduit from asset owners to end-of-life component providers. We have sourced multiple deals directly from ecube introductions. Setna iO’s goal is to be the easiest counter party to the world’s asset owners, and having ecube as a partner helps ensure this.”

Our consistancy in service and output is enhanced by our diamond level disassembly status with the Airline Fleet Recycling Association (AFRA) accreditation system. As a result of this, aircraft asset owners value the placement of aircraft at ecube knowing they will have an enlarged pool of potential buyers interested in their aircraft.

The added value of ecube’s marketplace offering is the ‘1 aircraft 3 locations’ principle where an aircraft owner can select the UK, EU or US based on the transactional benefits they offer.

We aim to optimise this process for the benefit of both sellers and buyers such that the transaction process time is as quick as it can be whilst achieving the results required by both parties.

Final words

The trading of airframe assets is a fundamental element of the aviation industries’ circular economy opportunities and responsibilities, as valuable components removed from all disassembled aircraft work to provide a sustainable source of high-quality material for the global fleet. With the constant demand of selling and buying, we are excited about what we can offer our customers at the ‘ecube marketplace’ for aircraft demands in the UK, EU, and US.

The ‘ecube marketplace’ takes this commitment to the circular economy one step further, working closely with repurposing & recycling partners to utilise surplus material following the teardown process – ultimately supporting our customers in their drive for sustainability.