S3 is Taking Off
Aircraft parts provider has made big gains in competitive industry
What they do over at S3 International cannot be described as rocket science.
However, it is close.
The Glendale, Wisconsin Company provides aircraft parts, repair services, supply chain management to customers in the military and commercial aerospace fields. S3, which was founded in 2005, is owned by Aksel Sidem, Jeff Wnuk and Sebastien Imbert, who have taken the company from its humble beginnings to a leader in the aerospace industry.
The story of S3 is one of rapid growth and innovation. In its first year, S3 had $225,000 in sales. In 2011, the company had more than $10 million in sales. Part of the reason for this rapid growth can be attested to the global nature of S3’s management team.
“Among the three owners, we speak six languages,” Sidem said. “Our organization consists of a diverse, multi-cultural and multi-lingual team that is fluent in seven languages.”
“The multi-lingual employees have all been exposed to different cultures and at one time have lived abroad,” he continued. “We understand the cultural differences that exist from one region of the world to another, and better recognize customer expectations beyond the goods we sell. We are therefore able to customize our services to best meet our customers’ expectations and deliver excellent service.”
The U.S. Small Business Administration also has played a part in helping S3 achieve its goals. The first loan S3 ever received was a SBA backed loan for $300,000 in 2007, which helped the company expand to new premises.
“Needless to say, the SBA loans have provided tremendous financial support for our business,” Sidem said. “We are grateful for the SBA as it works to represent the interests of small businesses like S3.”
The company continues to grow at a rapid pace. It recently acquired an Alabama based Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certified aircraft repair station and has plans to move that station to Milwaukee. Overall, S3 has created dozens of jobs in Wisconsin and will continue to create more jobs through its steady growth. Imbert said, “S3’s success is fueled by the dedication and hard work of its employees.”
The company plans on staying laser focused in the coming years and hopes to garner even more business in the aerospace industry.
“S3 is dedicated to customer service excellence by providing the military and commercial aerospace market with only the highest quality parts and support services,” Sidem said. S3 is committed to meeting or exceeding its customers’ expectations by providing superior service and innovative logistics solutions for the best value.