BrazilAirbus flies in M3 Consultancy for operations consulting to partner network
Airbus has signed an agreement with M3 Consultancy, a Netherlands based consulting firm specialised in operations and supply chain management. M3 Consultancy has been appointed a trusted advisor of Airbus and will in the role both advise and support Airbus partners and third-party clients of the global aviation group.
With revenues of over €66 billion, Airbus is one of the globe’s largest aviation companies. The company, headquartered in Europe, designs, manufactures and sells civil and military aerospace products, including commercial aircraft such as the A320 (short-haul) and the A380 (wide-body jet), defence systems, space craft and helicopters,
As part of its services to clients and partners that operate/serve its air fleet – over 10,000 commercial Airbus aircraft alone are in the skies today – Airbus supports stakeholders such as airlines, OEMs and airports with consultancy, operations and continuous improvement. Advisory and support services are provided by the firm's internal consulting department, yet, to meet growing demand from its partners, Airbus has now signed an agreement with M3 Consultancy to scale up its consultancy activities.
The partnership will see the consultancy support Airbus’s network on a global level with advisory, performance improvement and digital transformation, from strategy through to execution. “We will advise airlines that operate Airbus planes, maintenance companies that are involved in Airbus’ production chain and airports that handle Airbus aircraft,” explained Martin Mommersteeg, a partner at M3 Consultancy.
Contracts with Airbus typically include consultancy, maintenance and support services to clients, and the partnership with M3 Consultancy falls under this banner. “Topics which could be delivered can range from strategy, such as developing a business case for a new order or a new start-up airline, to operations, such as optimising flight and planning rosters, operational handling at airports, maintenance planning and on-time performance.” The Dutch consultants can be called upon from all corners of the globe – as the partnership has been granted a global status.
Consulting its partners
“With the expertise of M3 Consultancy we are taking a large step forward in aviation strategy and operations consulting. It enables us to better serve our customers and supports our vision to realise a better-connected, safer and better organised aviation world,” commented Amrish Pathack, who heads Airbus’s internal consulting department.
While the choice for a boutique consulting firm may raise eyebrows among many analysts in the industry – such as why Airbus didn't select a larger player such as BCG (which recently teamed up with KLM) or Accenture – M3’s track record in aviation played a key role for the group's confidence in the firm. Reflecting on the firm’s expertise in the field, Martin Mommersteeg said, “M3 has gained a wealth of experience in aviation consulting. We work for airlines, airports as well as handling agents and other suppliers. We primarily focus on operational / strategic issues, such as drawing up an aviation strategy for an airport, determining the freight strategy, designing long-term investment plans, but also solving the queues for the security lanes, optimising gate planning and designing the optimal handling concept for luggage.”
Related: Eastern European countries lead growth in Europe’s aviation industry.
