Case Study Aerospace Updated June 16, 2025 4 min read By GPSI Team

Supply Chain Relocation — 9,000 Parts Repatriated and Re-sourced

In one year, GPSI turned a 400-employee assembly-only aerospace facility into a self-supporting organization — repatriating and re-sourcing 9,000 parts across three aircraft wing platforms.

Aerospace supply chain relocation and parts re-sourcing

9,000 Parts repatriated
& re-sourced

Client Tier-One Aerospace Manufacturer

A thriving tier-one Canadian aerospace company in the Toronto area, transforming an assembly-only facility into a self-supporting operation.

Industry

Aerospace & Defence

Engagement

Supply Chain Relocation & In-house Procurement

Timeline

Within one year

Scale

9,000 parts · 3 wing platforms

Key Takeaways

9,000 individual parts, details, and assemblies were repatriated and re-sourced within North America.
An assembly-only facility was transformed into a fully self-supporting organization with in-house procurement.
GPSI built the procurement organization end to end — from project leadership to ERP/MRP and shop-floor cost tracking.
Critical-path parts — wing skins, spars, bulkheads — were quoted and awarded.
Headcount scaled from 400 to 600 employees as the new organization stood up.
The client can now supply three aircraft wing platforms, freeing the parent company and reducing costs.

Scope of WorkWhat was the scope of work?

A thriving tier one Canadian aerospace company based in the Toronto area commissioned Global Partner Solutions to take on a big project. The goal was to transform a 400-employee-strong assembly-only facility into a fully operational and self-supporting organization backed up by its in-house procurement function. At the outset of the project, all parts, details, and assemblies arrived in kits from their parent company, then went straight to our client’s assembly line. The parent company wanted them to take over full responsibility for sourcing within North America nine thousand individual parts, details, and assemblies, including hardware. Because of this, they needed a significant transformation.

DEFINITION

Parts repatriation & re-sourcing: bringing responsibility for sourcing parts in-house, away from a parent company. Here it meant building a procurement organization that could quote, award, and manage 9,000 parts directly — instead of receiving them as pre-assembled kits.

ActivitiesWhat did GPSI do in one year?

GPSI brought in a Project leader immediately to lead the transformation process.
The team identified the project plan, milestones, and actions that were needed to move the project forward.
The required personnel (both contractors and permanent staff) was recruited and managed by GPSI. The personnel included: buyers, procurement clerks, ERP/MRP implementation group and leader, tool engineer, MRB liaison engineer, supplier quality engineers, industrial engineers, vice-president of operations, senior manager, HR, and procurement managers.
The team quoted and awarded the majority of critical path parts and details, including wing skins, spars, bulkheads, etc.
Cost tracking tools were developed and implemented on the shop floor.
Rate increases, as well as the establishment of a procurement organization, meant that GPSI was instrumental in hiring an influx of new employees, taking the overall headcount to 600 employees.
The team completed the transition from the parent company’s full responsibility to the client’s onsite stakeholders.

The TeamWho did GPSI bring in?

Standing up an in-house procurement organization meant recruiting and managing a full, cross-functional team — contractors and permanent staff alike.

The team GPSI recruited & managed

Across procurement, engineering, quality, and operations leadership.

Buyers Procurement clerks ERP/MRP implementation group & leader Tool engineer MRB liaison engineer Supplier quality engineers Industrial engineers VP of Operations Senior manager HR Procurement managers

ResultsWhat results did the client achieve?

GPSI’s successful transformation project gave way to an organization that can procure all the parts and assemblies efficiently for three aircraft wing platforms for which they have obtained contracts. Furthermore, the transformation project freed the parent company from supporting the site from a parts standpoint, thus improving efficiency and reducing costs.

9,000

Parts repatriated & re-sourced

Aircraft wing platforms supplied

600

Employees, up from 400

1 yr

End-to-end transformation

An assembly-only facility became a self-supporting aerospace organization — able to source 9,000 parts for three wing platforms, while freeing the parent company and reducing costs. — Outcome of the GPSI transformation

AS9100NSF-ISR Certified

GPSI delivers aerospace supply chain transformations under AS9100-certified quality management — the standard behind tier-one engagements like this one.

Frequently asked questions

What was the goal of this supply chain relocation project?

The goal was to transform a 400-employee assembly-only aerospace facility in the Toronto area into a fully operational, self-supporting organization with its own in-house procurement function — taking over responsibility for sourcing 9,000 individual parts, details, and assemblies within North America.

How many parts were repatriated and re-sourced?

Nine thousand individual parts, details, and assemblies, including hardware, were repatriated and re-sourced from the parent company to the client’s new in-house procurement organization.

How long did the transformation take?

GPSI delivered the transformation within one year — from bringing in a project leader through to completing the transition to the client’s onsite stakeholders.

What roles did GPSI recruit and manage?

GPSI recruited and managed buyers, procurement clerks, an ERP/MRP implementation group and leader, a tool engineer, an MRB liaison engineer, supplier quality engineers, industrial engineers, a vice-president of operations, a senior manager, HR, and procurement managers.

What were the results?

The client became able to procure all parts and assemblies efficiently for three aircraft wing platforms under contract. The transformation also freed the parent company from supporting the site from a parts standpoint, improving efficiency and reducing costs, while headcount grew from 400 to 600 employees.

What does parts repatriation and re-sourcing mean?

It means bringing responsibility for sourcing parts in-house, away from a parent company. Here it meant building a procurement organization that could quote, award, and manage 9,000 parts directly rather than receiving them as pre-assembled kits.

Planning a supply chain relocation or in-sourcing project?

GPSI stands up procurement organizations end to end — project leadership, recruiting, ERP/MRP, sourcing critical-path parts, and the transition to your team. Let’s find a time to connect.

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