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SOLENTA AVIATION
The African Sky
Is No Limit
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Johannesburg-based Solenta Aviation is growing its fleet, expanding into new territories, and building strong and lasting relationships with prominent clients. “Solenta Aviation has an increasing global footprint and has a desire to expand upon that footprint,” Business Development Manager, Michael Adams tells Enterprise Africa.
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The highways over the skies of Africa are slowly becoming more crowded as air traffic levels increase. At the end of 2017, a report from the International Air Transport Association suggested that air traffic over Africa could grow by as much as 8% in 2018. Africa is home to more than 12% of the world’s population but its air transport market represents just 1% of the global industry. The aviation industry across the
continent is not an easy space to be in. A combination of protectionist legal barriers and regulatory hurdles, mixed with inadequate infrastructure, high taxes, and stubborn nationalism make for a challenging passenger market. Commercial flights are infrequent, expensive, and circuitous. The size of the continent means that Africans wanting to travel should be looking to the skies – rail and road are underdeveloped. But there is a shortage of large airports,
major aircraft maintenance facilities, or training academies. So, while the skies slowly fill, there remains major opportunities for growth. One company which has realised this after many years playing in the air above Africa, is Solenta Aviation. Founded in 2000 to assist in the supply of ACMI (Wet) and Dry leasing, jet and turbo prop aircraft leasing, and full turn-key operations and management consultancy, Solenta Aviation has become an industry
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INDUSTRY FOCUS: AVIATION
leading service provider to the continent’s flight specialists. The company is actively seeking growth opportunities all over the continent, and Business Development Manager, Michael Adams highlights relationships with leading companies as examples of how Solenta Aviation can help big-name businesses achieve goals in Africa. “We are expanding our current support of a leading global logistics company – more aircraft, more services, and not just on the African continent, we are hoping to work with other local operators around the world where we can provide operators with aircraft and provide freighter support for the company,” he says. 18 YEARS FLYING HIGH When Solenta was founded, the company was a small operation providing services for a leading global logistics company. “We were supporting
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the company and their requirements by operating a small fleet of Cessna Caravans,” explains Adams. “We continue to support the company 18 years later, and we have now migrated all the way through from Caravans to now operating and flying ATR72 Large Cargo Door freighters for them. We work in a number of locations on the African continent and provide the company with a number of aircraft for other parts of the world as well.” And as the relationship flourished, Solenta Aviation’s reach grew. “Solenta Aviation is now a much bigger operation and is no longer just about servicing the global logistics company.” MACH SPEED TO THE TOP Almost two decades of success have positioned Solenta Aviation perfectly for further growth in the future. Already active with operational bases in South Africa, Mozambique, Kenya, Gabon,
// OUR 50-SEATER ERJ 145 HAS SEEN PHENOMENAL DEMAND ACROSS THE AFRICAN CONTINENT // Ivory Coast and Algeria – and a presence across a number of other African and Middle Eastern countries – the company is keen to increase the size of its fleet and strengthen relations with its longstanding clients. “The fleet will certainly expand, particularly in the regional space with regional jets and regional turbo craft,” says Adams. Solenta Aviation provides aircraft into Cuba, it also supports oil and gas companies and NGOs in the Middle East, and there are many opportunities for Solenta Aviation to expand beyond the African continent.”
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// WE HOLD AIR OPERATOR CERTIFICATES IN A NUMBER OF COUNTRIES WHERE WE CAN PROVIDE SUPPORT TO MEET OUR CUSTOMER’S REQUIREMENTS // ECONOMIC ASCENT? Economic and political influences have wreaked havoc across a number of prominent industry sectors in Southern Africa over the past few years. However, 2018 has seen a shift in sentiment, with business confidence improving across the board. Solenta Aviation’s African coverage has allowed it to fly high over any regional issues that might have grounded competitors. “Our customer exposure in South Africa has been relatively limited. Over the past few years, we have provided aircraft on lease to a few of the regional South African airlines.” says Adams.
“Because of our customer base being African continent wide, and increasingly global, local macroeconomic factors do not impact on our ability to do business.” Environmental concerns have also become more prominent in the global aviation space, with international agreements put in place to reduce the level of carbon emitted by the industry. But Solenta Aviation is well-placed to advise clients on best practice to ensure efficiency. The future for Solenta Aviation is bright. It is aiming for an increasing chunk of the continent’s $80 billion industry. “Our 50-seater ERJ 145 has seen phenomenal demand across the
African continent,” says Adams. “When our leases finish, we very quickly find new leases for those aircraft in Africa.” The aviation industry in Africa is expected to triple in size over the next 20 years and the sky highways will become busier. Solenta Aviation is perfectly placed to help its clients navigate this shifting environment with minimal turbulence, creating a sustainable and thriving sector that effectively serves the continent.
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CMB Media Group does not accept responsibility for omissions or errors. The points of view expressed in articles by attributing writers and/ or in advertisements included in this magazine do not necessarily represent those of the publisher. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained within this magazine, no legal responsibility will be accepted by the publishers for loss arising from use of information published. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrievable system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher. © CMB Media Group Ltd 2018
AFRICA
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR AFRICA’S INDUSTRY LEADERS
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July 2018
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