Major Lake City employer HAECO Americas sold to AAR

LAKE CITY, Fla. (WCJB) - The sale of HAECO Americas, a company that operated an aircraft maintenance facility in Lake City, to AAR, an aviation services operator, raises questions about the future of the company.

HAECO Americas, the second largest heavy maintenance provider in North America behind AAR, operates out of two facilities, one in Greensboro, North Carolina, and one in Lake City, Florida.

AAR purchased the American facilities from the international HAECO Group for $78 million in an all-cash transaction. The acquisition expands AAR’s maintenance footprint and helps to grow its Repair & Engineering segment.

“We plan to apply our successful model to the HAECO Americas facilities and expect to significantly improve profitability and operational performance,” said John M. Holmes, AAR’s Chairman, President, and CEO.

HAECO is one of the largest private employers in Columbia County. The company’s total American workforce exceeds 1,600 people.

AAR leaders say they were on site in Lake City on Wednesday to welcome employees to their company’s network.

As part of the acquisition, AAR secured $850 million in contracts between the Lake City and North Carolina locations.

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