Story ID: 433ebace
JSSI Buys Conklin & de Decker
By: Curt Epstein
Caption: The move, JSSI's first outside acquiistion, bolsters its recently-launched advisory services business.
Word Count: 467
Business aviation maintenance plan provider JSSI (Booth A89) has expanded its services portfolio with today’s announcement that it acquired industry research firm Conklin & de Decker (C&dD) last month. Founded nearly 35 years ago, C&dD has become a trusted source for aircraft cost and performance information.

“As the sole independent provider of maintenance programs to the business aviation industry, coupled with the JSSI parts and advisory services platforms, JSSI has a vast and unique dataset covering virtually all makes and models of business jets,” noted JSSI president and CEO Neil Book. “Combined with the unparalleled delivery platform of C&dD, we will provide the business aviation market with a level of information and transparency not seen before.”

C&dD is known for its suite of industry products including a flagship cost comparison tool, aircraft cost evaluator, life cycle cost budgeting program, MxManager for maintenance tracking, and state tax guide planning tool.

“Our companies have many similarities, and all of us at Conklin & de Decker look forward to building on our synergies, especially our dedication to a service-based culture,” said C&dD co-founder Bill de Decker. “We have worked closely with the JSSI team since its inception in 1989, now we are very proud to be a part of this successful and innovative company.”

All 12 members of the C&dD team will join the JSSI staff, and the company will maintain its brand as a separate unit in JSSI’s advisory services division, which was launched last October at NBAA’s annual convention in Las Vegas. It offers aircraft inspections and appraisals, assists with maintenance cost planning, and provides insurance claims management, and has seen growing industry acceptance in its short existence. “Clearly we’ve identified a need in the industry because that business has scaled significantly,” said Book. He described how companies seeking asset appraisals no longer have to rely on a patchwork of different providers. “With our team of 70-plus technical advisors around the globe," he said, JSSI's customers "can come to one place and get the same high-quality product each and every time.”

For JSSI, which celebrates its 30th anniversary next year, this acquisition represents a new phase of development, according to Book, who noted that up to this point the company’s growth has been entirely organic. “This is our first strategic acquisition, but we fully expect to continue to aggressively look at other acquisition opportunities within the industry,” he told AIN. “We think we’re the most uniquely positioned company to build a broad platform of products and services that touch the entire aviation aftermarket, and so you will see we’re going to be very active in the coming weeks and months.”