Bombardier’s Chicago and Frankfurt parts hubs, each celebrating its 20th year in service, are on track to reach new shipment milestones in the upcoming months that number in the millions. The Chicago hub, which ships almost 2,000 individual part numbers daily, is projected to surpass the 10 million mark by early 2026. Meanwhile, the warehouse in Frankfurt, Germany, ships 400 individual parts daily and is anticipated to reach 1.5 million shipments by year-end.
The Canadian airframer celebrated the respective anniversaries at each location last week, bringing together hundreds of employees, suppliers, local officials, and industry members to join in the festivities.
Bombardier decided 20 years ago to consolidate multiple sites into two large hubs near major airports, opening the Chicago facility on June 27, 2005, and then the Frankfurt site on August 29 of that year. In Chicago, Bombardier can store more than 100,000 unique parts at full capacity, while the Frankfurt facility has a capacity of about 60,000 parts.
In addition to Chicago and Frankfurt, Bombardier operates regional depots in Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, and San Luis Obispo, California. Bombardier noted that it has achieved a 92% “off-the-shelf” shipping rate through its stockpiles of parts in multiple regions.
“For two decades, our Chicago and Frankfurt hubs have been instrumental in providing the essential parts our customers need to ensure their aircraft are ready for any mission,” said Paul Sislian, executive v-p of Bombardier aftermarket services and strategy. “With round-the-clock operations and inventory systems programmed for speed and precision, these hubs deliver the ultimate peace of mind and confidence.”