74 Business View - January 2016
Universal Asset Management, Inc. (UAM)
Unique in the commercial aviation industry
Airplanes soaring through the air with ease has long
been a romantic and often mysterious wonder. While
traveling on a commercial airplane is becoming more
commonplace for the average person, understanding
what keeps these airplanes flying in safe operation is
a monumental feat that is unique compared to any
other industry. Keeping an 800,000 pound, Boeing
747 flying takes more than fuel, Bernoulli’s principle,
and some air. Maintaining day to day operations, air-
craft acquisitions, component repairs, and total life
management of an aircraft is an industry of its own.
Few companies have all the capabilities to handle the
full life of an aircraft but one of the country’s leading
companies in this field is Universal Asset Management
(UAM), headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee.
According the Shawn Kling, UAM’s President, the com-
pany was founded in 1992 as an aircraft acquisition
and trading company. Adapting to the changing avia-
tion industry and global economy, UAM added capa-
bilities and services to ultimately handle all aspects of
an aircraft including the disassembly, repair, and sale
of the components to airlines around the world.
Over the years, UAM grew from acquiring engines to
entire aircraft as well as individual components, such
LOGISTICS