There were no employees, no vendors and only a few open purchase orders when William Moskwa started AERO Component Repair, LLC in Durant, OK. In April 2004, Moskwa purchased the real estate and fixed assets of a business that was no longer in operation. Currently, AERO Component Repair, LLC employs 15 and has expansion plans on the drawing board.
AERO Component Repair, LLC performs repairs on turbine engine aircraft parts as well as manufacturing and repair of locomotive turbo charger parts and large diesel engines. The companys market extends across the United States.
Moskwa, with an engineering degree from Northrop Institute of Technology and years of experience in airline maintenance and engineering, was working in Oklahoma City when he made the decision to venture out on his own. After working with business brokers and networking with people in the industry, he learned of a business opportunity in Durant. Ultimately, he seized the opportunity and utilizing all the partnerships and resources available to him, Moskwa and his wife began to build the business.
Partnerships and resources Moskwa utilized include REI, U. S. Small Business Administration, Oklahoma Small Business Development Center, BancFirst in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance, McAlester Technology Center, Oklahoma State University Applications Engineer Program, the Training for Industry Program of Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology. Currently, he is also working with OSU for a marketing plan and web site development.
This business wouldnt have happened without assistance from all of these resources and business financing through REI and SBA, Moskwa said. I had help from the very beginning and the assistance continued throughout the process.
Business financing was accomplished through a combination of REI lending programs and those of the SBA. Loan funds were used for purchase of real estate, fixed assets and working capital.
This is a perfect example of a business using all available resources, said Tom Seth Smith, REI President & CEO. Its all about partnerships and utilizing Oklahomas vast network of agency resources ready to assist a start-up or expanding business and we invite entrepreneurs to contact us so we can share this wealth of information with them.
AERO Component Repair, LLC may be contacted by calling 580.924.7999 or e-mailing acro1@aol.com.