Aircraft Technical Publishers (ATP) Announces Expanded Strategic Vision With New Ownership and CEO

SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwired - Nov 17, 2015) - Aircraft Technical Publishers (ATP) -- the general aviation industry's only single-source provider of information management and services for manufacturers, owners/operators, and maintenance providers -- today announced that Chicago-based private equity firm ParkerGale Capital, LP has acquired the company and partnered with Charles Picasso, who has been named as the new CEO. Picasso will lead the company into a new era of growth with an expanded strategic vision that will leverage the company's unique market position as the hub connecting mission critical information across the maintenance ecosystem.

The new ownership recognizes tremendous untapped opportunities for the company to unlock value and will inject additional investment to build on ATP's traditional core competencies of aggregating, organizing, and delivering content. ATP's new vision will broaden the company's focus from content management to become a services-oriented company that will enable customers to seamlessly manage all of their end-to-end maintenance processes -- from compliance tracking to inventory management to maintenance forecasting -- from a unified software as a service (SaaS) solution.

ATP will leverage the only single-source cloud-based SaaS platform designed specifically for maintenance providers -- offering exceptional control, flexibility, and affordability -- to create an integrated "smart content" suite of services. The SaaS solution is designed to optimize workflows and information management in order to drive dramatic improvements in productivity, efficiency, aircraft utilizations and value, while also preventing costly regulatory lapses.

The company also boasts a number of other market-differentiating assets to propel its growth, including the world's most comprehensive library of up-to-date maintenance, operating, and regulatory content, combined with a massive installed customer base -- with more than 23,000 registered users across 96 countries -- that has trusted the company to ensure the highest levels of safety, compliance, and productivity since 1973. Similarly, the company has cultivated close working relationships with aircraft manufacturers, owners/operators, and regulatory agencies worldwide, and is positioned at the hub of a unique constellation of collaborative partnerships that is unparalleled in the general aviation industry.

Picasso brings decades of experience successfully growing companies focused on delivering mission critical information and services -- ranging from enterprise software to business and IT services. As chairman of the board of Narus, Inc. -- a provider of real-time network traffic and analytics software -- he led a strategic realignment that resulted in the company being acquired by Boeing Network and Space Systems as a subsidiary. In 2005, he successfully led the initial public offering of IHS, Inc. (NYSE: IHS) -- the leading global source for critical information and insight -- as the company's president and CEO.

"I'm looking forward to working with our partners and clients, who can expect to receive the same level of service excellence from ATP, as well as look forward to exciting new developments on the horizon," said Picasso. "It's an honor to take the helm of an organization with such an esteemed history in the industry and lead ATP into a new era of growth."

Soon after taking the helm, Picasso was also named as a board member of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), an international trade association representing more than 90 of the world's leading aviation manufacturers and providers of related components and services. With enduring relationships with more than 200 leading manufacturers, ATP plays a pivotal role in facilitating collaboration and information exchanges among manufacturers, owners/operators, maintenance providers, regulators, and aviation schools.

"We've long recognized ATP for the important role they play as a partner to General Aviation Manufacturers in support of compliance and safety for the industry," said Pete Bunce, president and CEO of GAMA. "GAMA is proud to name Charles as a new board member and we are looking forward to his perspectives and contributions in helping drive our industry forward."

The company will look to build on these relationships to enhance opportunities for connecting and facilitating the exchange of information between manufacturers, owners/operators, and maintenance providers. "ATP sets a new standard of excellence for technical publication management and delivery," said Lisa Giessert, head of sales administration and customer support for Piper Aircraft. "As a company that places the highest premium on aircraft safety and value, Piper relies on our colleagues and collaborators to help us ensure the best possible product for our customers. We welcome the opportunity to work with Charles Picasso and the ATP team."

ATP uniquely enables maintenance providers to streamline maintenance operation workflows to dramatically boost efficiency, speed, accuracy, and compliance. ATP is the only organization that integrates the most up-to-date information directly from more than 54 of the world's leading manufacturers to create the industry's most comprehensive repository of technical, operating, and regulatory data. With ATP, customers can replace time-intensive and disconnected processes with a unified platform capable of effortlessly tracking and managing maintenance tracking, parts inventory, ordering information, tool compliance, and employee training/certifications.

"As a long time client of ATP, it's clear to us that the company is unmatched as the leader in general aviation information services, particularly when you're talking about providing information on maintenance and related areas such as technical publications and compliance tracking," said Tim Grigsby, director of maintenance, Illinois Department of Transportation Division of Aeronautics. "We're looking forward to seeing their new developments as they look to broaden their focus across the maintenance lifecycle to help us manage our business even more effectively and efficiently."

ABOUT ATP

Aircraft Technical Publishers (ATP) is the general aviation industry's only single-source provider of information management and services for manufacturers, operators/owners, and maintenance providers. The San Francisco Bay Area-based company helps businesses manage all of their maintenance processes -- from maintenance and compliance tracking to inventory management -- on a unified cloud based SaaS platform. ATP helps more than 23,000 users in 96 countries and 54 manufacturers ensure the highest levels of safety, compliance, and productivity. For more information, visit ATP.com.