Reducing Costs and Revolutionizing Cleaning for an Airline Maintenance Facility
In the aviation maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) industry, there’s no room for compromise when it comes to cleanliness. But maintaining spotless hangars and offices while optimizing costs can be challenging, as Airborne Maintenance and Engineering Services found with its sprawling facility.
Based in Wilmington, Ohio, Airborne specializes in a broad spectrum of aircraft MRO services, ranging from heavy maintenance to component repair and overhaul. With an expansive client portfolio, Airborne partners with several prominent airlines and employs more than 600 professionals, including engineers, maintenance mechanics, pilots, and a full-time corporate workforce.
Cleaning challenges
Airborne faced numerous cleaning challenges within its facility, which covers more than 450,000 square feet of cleanable space with corporate offices, restrooms, and the hangar. It also had to manage the daily accumulation of 15 to 20 55-gallon barrels of trash from aircraft maintenance and overhaul operations.
Previously, Airborne had outsourced its cleaning needs to a sister company, which also provided other services such as chemicals, fueling, maintenance, and support. Unfortunately, this arrangement proved to be less than ideal. Not only was it more costly, but the cleaning services failed to meet Airborne’s stringent standards. Communication with the company was limited to an online ticket system, causing delays and inefficiencies.
Seeking a dedicated and more efficient solution, Airborne turned to RamClean, a dynamic cleaning service offering solutions that were nothing short of transformative.
Engagement
In late 2021, Airborne enlisted the services of RamClean for its Wilmington facility after discovering the business online. Once on site, RamClean conducted an extensive time study, identifying cleaning requirements and determining the time investments for each area to assess costs accurately. This approach replaced the typical hourly flat rates with a more precise calculation that was more cost-effective.
On day one, RamClean implemented the following services:
- Day porter services: Inspecting and restocking all restroom dispensers throughout the facility ensured essential items such as soaps, sanitizers, paper towels, toilet paper, and seat covers were available consistently.
- General cleaning services: Cleaning the corporate offices during the day helped to support high standards of cleanliness for the workspace.
- Hangar-cleaning services: Trash from the hangar was collected using a golf cart equipped with a dumpster for efficient cleaning
Over the next six months, RamClean adopted a proactive approach to communication by maintaining an ongoing dialogue with Airborne and adjusting the cleaning services to meet the company’s needs. RamClean’s team now consists of nine professionals, including a supervisor, who clean Airborne’s facility seven days a week. Monday-through-Friday cleaning operations are divided into three shifts:
- Shift 1: Involves the day porter, general cleaner, and trash pickup
- Shift 2: Focuses on detailed cleaning of areas that cannot be addressed during the day while employees are at work
- Shift 3: Encompasses night cleaning, refreshing areas previously cleaned during the day and preparing the facility for the next day’s operations
On the weekends, RamClean’s personnel perform touch-ups in various areas, collecting hangar trash and ensuring the facility is ready for a smooth start on Monday morning.
Results
RamClean delivered substantial cost reductions for Airborne, with a remarkable 30-40% decrease. RamClean also streamlined Airborne’s inventory management and improved the cleanliness of its offices and hangar spaces. Fully satisfied, Airborne extended its partnership with RamClean, entrusting the janitorial service with cleaning its Tampa Bay facility.
Insights
The past year has been a learning experience for Airborne and RamClean, offering valuable insights through their ongoing partnership. For Airborne, hiring a dedicated janitorial service has proven to be the best way to lower costs while improving the quality of cleanliness throughout its expansive facility. Working with a company that offers a unique structure like RamClean has also provided better customer service thanks to RamClean’s open communication and 24/7 availability.
For RamClean, cleaning a facility of this magnitude has expanded its expertise. At Airborne, RamClean utilizes advanced cleaning machinery and manages distinct cleaning domains, which has bolstered its capabilities.
Continued collaboration
The collaboration between RamClean and Airborne exemplifies the transformative power of businesses that can offer the dedication and resources to fulfill the unique needs of their clients. By providing high-quality, cost-effective, and customized cleaning services, RamClean not only met Airborne’s expectations but also exceeded them, resulting in a mutually beneficial partnership that continues to thrive.