Muskoka Aircraft Refinishing Incorporated has been painting aircraft since 2005. In the beginning, it focused on small airplanes and that business has grown over the past 20 years to include commercial, corporate and private aircraft from all over the world.
In 2022, the Gravenhurst company set its sights on expanding its market to accommodate narrow body jets, such as 737s and three Airbus models. Thanks to a repayable Aerospace Regional Recovery Initiative contribution through FedNor, Muskoka Aircraft Refinishing company expanded one of its bays in its dual hangar to take its business to new heights.
The expansion project, which wrapped up March 2024, entailed enlarging its second bay by 10,000 square feet and raising the ceiling on the new section to 45 feet. With a new single, steel sliding door, measuring 120 feet wide by 30 feet high, Muskoka Aircraft Refinishing can now service all narrow body aircraft broadening its potential customer base to roughly 80 percent of all manufactured aircraft worldwide.
With maintenance requirements stipulating that aircraft be painted every seven years, many Canadian airline carriers have had to go outside of the country. Now as the top Canadian facility of this kind of service for narrow body aircraft, Muskoka Aircraft Refinishing is poised to see its business take off. Currently the company is speaking with several major Canadian airlines, many of whom are already customers.
“Our major clients are really happy about the news,” shared Paul Valdstyn, Vice President, Sales and Operations, Muskoka Aircraft Refinishing Inc. “It means that they can save down time by being serviced closer to home, avoid customs, cut their fuel costs and decrease maintenance costs, enabling the aircraft to be returned to service faster.”
The funding also assisted with the purchase of a high-end compressor, new electrostatic spray paint guns, and a speciality printer for aircraft decals, all designed to scale up the operations and increase productivity. Company officials say the immediate focus will be on learning the new equipment and creating strong working relationships with their client airline carriers.
Expansion at Muskoka Aircraft Refinishing Inc sets the stage for business growth
It is all hands on deck as Muskoka Aircraft Refinishing‘s newly renovated hangar propels its business to the next level.
“We aim to increase service contracts globally by $1.5 million by the end of 2026,” stated Nancy Calic, Chief Financial Officer, Muskoka Aircraft Refinishing Inc. “Currently, we have 19 full-time employees and are planning to increase that number gradually to 30, while ensuring that new hires are the right fit and have the training that they need.”
Valdstyn said the FedNor funding was instrumental in helping the company to scale up operations, increase capacity, improve service offerings and broaden its client base which will help to ensure Muskoka Aircraft Refinishing’s long-term sustainability.
FedNor invested more than $11 million through the Aerospace Regional Recovery Initiative to help businesses like Muskoka Aircraft Refinishing Inc to adapt, grow and move forward from the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more about FedNor’s programs and the types of initiatives it funds in support of the federal Prosperity and Growth Strategy for Northern Ontario.
