Air Salvage International CEO Mark Gregory is raising a glass to his company after a successful 25 years in the air.

Formed in 1997 and based at Cotswold Airport, Gloucestershire, ASI has made a name as one of the world’s largest privately-owned disassembly and recovery companies and was the first in Europe to offer this service.

The business that ASI launched back in 1997 enabled owners of retired commercial aircraft to make a positive step forward in responding to pressure to reduce their global footprint. This alternative to using their own in-house manpower also enabled them to fulfil the rapidly growing demand for quality recycled aircraft parts, maximising the value of their assets.

Mark and his team have worked on over 900 disassembly and recovery projects over the last 25 years, including some in remote locations such as Togo, Sudan, Ecuador, Libya, and Costa Rica, and have built up a valued global customer base including banks, lessors, insurers, component providers, airlines, and UK Government Agencies.

The company also has the unique capacity to dismantle, move and rebuild aircraft.  It’s carried out this task on over 30 commercial and military aircraft to date. In 2004 ASI was awarded the prestigious contract by British Airways to dismantle and then reassemble two Concorde aircraft at their destination UK museums.

Mark, 60, is very modest about his achievements. He said: “It is difficult to pat yourself on the back, but I have certainly fulfilled my dream of forming a successful and sustainable aviation business. I also believe that we have been and are currently part of a driving force behind delivering sustainable and environmentally responsible services in the global aircraft disassembly sector which makes me very proud”.

ASI is one of the original founding members of the Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association (AFRA) from 2006, and its practices have contributed to the Association’s Best Management Practices (BMPs) which significantly improves the management of end-of-life aircraft in terms of environmental and sustainable performance and are used worldwide throughout the industry today.

The company employs 26 staff who are mainly from the Wiltshire and Gloucestershire area. ASI affiliates GC Aviation Maintenance (GCAM) and Skyline Aero are also based at the same Cotswold site. “The three businesses complement each other, providing component suppliers, lessors, insurers, airlines, and banks with a unique ‘one-stop-shop’ facility to store aircraft whilst evaluating asset optimisation,” Mark added. Mark realises that the company’s success could not have been achieved without a dedicated, skilled, and professional workforce, plus the loyalty and trust of valued legacy customers. He said: “I could not have done it without the support of a great team around me, from way back then to now. As a company we have always had a strong commitment to meeting customer needs and reducing global footprint by providing consistent, quality driven services that are continually audited through ISO (2015) 9001/14001 and AFRA. In fact, we were the first company worldwide to be awarded the AFRA accreditation. Here’s to another 25 years.”