In today’s uncertain business climate, is it still possible to turn a good idea into a small business, then grow that into a multi-million dollar corporation? Can a small independent, idealistic entrepreneur wade through unimaginable challenges and adversity, and emerge to successfully develop his product and bring it to market for a global industry?
“Yes, I think you can — if you surround yourself with smart people that you can trust,” said Willard “Bill” McNiff, founder of All Metal Maintenance Stands, Inc. (AMMS). “It’s not easy, and you need to always put your company ahead of yourself in order to get through the tough spots.”
Over the past 10 years, AMMS, based in Las Vegas, Nev., has grown into an industry leader, with its innovative design and manufacturing of high quality custom maintenance stands, hangar equipment and specialty tools.
The company’s distinctive, bright yellow work stands (though custom colors are available), fabricated entirely from U.S.-made steel, and decks crafted from aluminum diamond-plate, are fast becoming a familiar fixture in helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft manufacturing, maintenance and service facilities worldwide.
AMMS’s customers run the gamut, from small single-aircraft operations, to large global operators like Era Helicopters LLC, to industry manufacturing heavyweights like Bell Helicopter, American Eurocopter, Sikorsky, Boeing, and MD Helicopters,
as well as military branches, from the U.S. Army to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Company Roots
McNiff can trace his connection to the rotorcraft industry back to the 1970s, when he lived and worked in the frigid Alaskan bush as a young helicopter mechanic supporting the construction of the Alaska pipeline. In 1975, he began supporting a tour operator in sunny Las Vegas (where he has remained ever since), and in the following years, he worked with Hughes Aviation performing maintenance on the Las Vegas Metro Police Department’s (LVMPD’s) aviation assets.
A talented welder/fabricator, McNiff decided to strike out on his own in the 1990s, leaving aviation to tackle many types of projects for all kinds of business, and he quickly earned a reputation as “the man to call” in Las Vegas for custom metal fabrication.
In 2001, Rick Lund, a longtime friend and director of maintenance at LVMPD, asked McNiff to create custom aircraft maintenance stands for the department, and McNiff’s resulting creations won high praise from the mechanics who used them. Soon, mechanics visiting the LVMPD facility began inquiring how they might acquire their own custom stands.
McNiff quickly recognized the need for his custom maintenance stands in the aviation industry. The concept was simple: “It’s all about safety, convenience and efficiency for the mechanic,” said McNiff. He was all too familiar with mechanics “jury rigging” apparatus, like rickety ladders, wooden planks and 50-gallon drums, to gain the elevation needed to access the various areas of an aircraft.
His designs and the use of innovative multi-level decks or platforms with heavy-duty gas shocks, tool trays and slip resistant steps, are the result of approaching each project as if he was performing the work himself. “As a mechanic, I can visualize myself working on the aircraft,” said McNiff. “Then I build the stand beneath my feet in my head. If I need to work on the engine, I visualize a deck at one level. Then, if I’m working on a transmission, in some cases, that’s a little higher than the transmission, so I need a deck at a different level. Then for the head, I might need another level a bit higher yet, but I don’t need a lot of deck space. I then build a stand underneath all those levels.”
Growing Pains
In 2003, All Metal Maintenance Stands (AMMS) was incorporated, and along with the growth came growing pains. McNiff found it increasingly difficult to manage the company’s mounting administrative needs, not to mention finding a reliable source of welders/fabricators capable of producing the high-quality work he required. (A temporary solution presented itself in the hiring of inmates on a work release program from the Nevada Department of Corrections — the state offered incentives to do so, but McNiff found these workers to be more dependable and focused than those hired off the street.)
As the company struggled to find its business footing, McNiff experienced a series of unforeseen setbacks.
It was discovered his bookkeeper had created an elaborate scheme and embezzled several hundred thousand dollars. If that wasn’t enough, another AMMS employee had been stealing McNiff’s designs and had successfully set up his own production plant out of state using the pirated material.
It was a chance meeting between this AMMS employee and Johnny Buscema, a legitimate businessman and entrepreneur, that would expose the fraudulent business. When the truth came to light, Buscema sought out McNiff, explained the situation, and offered his full cooperation to help restore AMMS.
Throughout the turmoil, McNiff had aligned himself with Michael Colasuonno, a longtime family friend with a background in business, finance and operations. He had stepped in to help make sense of the bookkeeper’s antics and remained a close confidant.
The three men worked together, as friends and associates, to do the right thing and put the proverbial “wheels back on the bus.” In the end, McNiff was so impressed with Buscema’s character, integrity and commitment to set things straight, he asked Buscema to join him. They came to a partnership agreement fairly quickly and AMMS was back on track just in time for Heli-Expo 2011.
Buscema took the helm as president and CEO, while McNiff assumed the role of founder and director of research/development. Colasuonno was brought aboard as CFO and director of operations, and John Buscema Sr. joined to help meet the demand of the new production schedule from increased customer orders.
Creating a Solution
Now with 24 employees — and still growing — AMMS supports hundreds of variations of maintenance stands and platforms that exceed ANSI (American National Standards Institute) and OSHA (Occupational Health and Safety Act) standards. These are in addition to its expansive offerings of engine stands, battery lifts, blade racks, cowling racks, part racks, and helicopter dollies, as well as their ingeniously engineered lightweight transportable hoists and gimbal installation and removal devices.
AMMS products are developed as solutions for customers, and they utilize the latest software systems. “Since we are a custom solutions provider, the core of our company is centered around a team of highly skilled individuals that are both designers and engineers,” said Buscema. “What makes AMMS unique is Bill’s ability to mentor the engineering team, passing on to them his secrets and tricks of the trade from 40 years of hands-on experience.”
The AMMS engineering department is comprised of a team of seven, who develop the products from visualization to prototype. The company is working to develop digital measuring and aircraft reproduction software to enhance its ability to engineer products faster and more accurately.
AMMS does not keep an “in-stock” inventory. Instead, everything is custom built to customers’ specific needs. “Take for example the 400-series, the most popular stand we manufacture,” said McNiff. “[American] Eurocopter’s training facility came to us and said they need to be able to put 10 people on it. So we made it four feet longer and two feet wider. That’s just what we do.”
Talking to customers is essential to AMMS. Said McNiff, “It’s important for me to talk to a customer to understand its needs and not just have them pick something out of a catalog. Does their aircraft have high gear, low gear? Does it have search lights or external mounts, bubble window and/or other accessories? How tall are the mechanics and what type of work will they be performing?”
Over a decade has passed since LVMPD took delivery of their first AMMS maintenance stand and Lund remains a loyal AMMS customer. He proudly points to the many work stands, blade racks, equipment racks and battery carts in use throughout the LVMPD facility. “We use them every single day,” he said. “My mechanics love working on these stands. We’ll put them on both sides of the aircraft, which give us easy access to the head, engine, tail rotor…Every little thing we’ve got from Bill makes a big difference in our lives every day.”
In the immediate future, AMMS is in final negotiations to acquire a new 40,000-square-foot facility. This expansion will provide much needed room to expand production capabilities and also bring the powder coating process in-house, which is currently AMMS’ biggest outsourcing expense.
The company is also excited about an exclusive agreement with Blickle Casters, a leading German manufacturer of high quality wheels and casters, to offer its products to the aviation industry.
With an established industry reputation and advancements in processes and products, AMMS has redoubled its efforts in the development of intelligent and innovative solutions for the aviation industry. The AMMS crew of creative designers, engineers and skilled craftsmen share a determined commitment to ensure their products and dedicated customer service will continue to exceed the expectations of aviation maintenance professionals worldwide.
Dan Megna recently retired after nearly 30 years with one of Southern California’s sheriff’s departments. His last 18 years were spent serving in the department’s aviation unit, where he logged over 8,000 hours in helicopters as a tactical officer, pilot and flight instructor.