Today, De Havilland Aircraft of Canada (DHC) announced that it has acquired all of the shares of Fleet Canada Inc. of Fort Erie, Ontario.

Fleet is a current supplier of parts and aerostructures for De Havilland Canada as well as a number of other Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). The company operates in a 500,000 square foot facility in Southern Ontario, which has the capacity to support the growth and expansion of De Havilland Canada.

With the addition of Fleet, DHC is now able to in-source a number of capabilities that the company did not already have including metal-to-metal bonding and advanced composites.

Currently, Fleet is providing parts for De Havilland Canada on the Twin Otter, De Havilland Canadair-515 and Dash 8 programs. It is expected the capacity at the Fleet facility will grow as new machinery is added and additional staff are brought on to keep pace with growing demand.

“By adding the capacity and capabilities of Fleet Canada, De Havilland Aircraft of Canada will be better able to meet the needs of our customers,” said Brian Chafe, CEO of De Havilland Canada. “Our focus is to keep our fleet flying and to meet the growing demand for the De Havilland Canadair 515. The acquisition of Fleet’s team and capacity will go a long way to accomplishing this.”

“I’m thrilled to add Fleet’s manufacturing capabilities and the team’s skills to De Havilland Canada’s toolkit,” said Gerry Kelly, DHC Vice President of Manufacturing. “Fleet have been a terrific supplier for DHC, and their craftsmanship and in-house processing capabilities are a great addition to deliver timely solutions for our customers.”

"With over 46,000 workers across more than 200 companies, Ontario has established itself as a key player in the production and development of cutting-edge aerospace and aerostructure parts,” said Vic Fedeli, Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “We congratulate De Havilland Canada on the growth of their operations and look forward to seeing Fleet Canada’s craftsmanship continue to define the future of advanced aerostructure manufacturing here in Ontario.”