Cherry Aerospace

What Cherry Aerospace does

Cherry Aerospace, operating legally as SPS Technologies LLC DBA Cherry Aerospace, is a Santa Ana, California-based manufacturer specializing in aerospace blind fastening systems. The company designs and produces a comprehensive portfolio spanning blind rivets (CherryMAX®, CherryLOCK®, Cherry 1900, Cherry SST®, Cherry MBC®, Cherry MS, Chobert®, Cherry SPR®), blind bolts (Maxibolt®, Maxibolt® Plus, Titanium Maxibolt®), rivetless nut plates (standard, sealing, and composite versions), shear pin fasteners (CherryBUCK®, E-Z Buck®, Hollow End E-Z Buck®, Lockbolts), and matched installation tooling (hand, pneumatic, and pneumatic/hydraulic). Its core technical differentiation rests on the patented Safe-lock locking collar mechanism introduced in CherryMAX® — the most widely-used blind fastener in the aerospace industry — enabling single-sided installation with visually inspectable mechanical lock indicators. The company pioneered blind rivet technology in 1940, and its products hold conformance to NAS, MS, MIL, and SAE procurement specifications across virtually every major aerospace OEM platform.

Cherry Aerospace sells exclusively through an authorized distributor network spanning North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and LATAM, with no direct-to-customer sales. Channel partners include Boeing Distribution Services, Incora, Adept Fasteners, Align Aerospace, Apollo Aerospace, Century Fasteners, and a long tail of regional distributors; installation tooling is sold separately through a parallel authorized tooling distributor network with certified repair centers in five US states and the UK. End customers include every major commercial OEM (Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Embraer), business jet manufacturers (Cessna, Learjet, Gulfstream), helicopter OEMs (Bell, Sikorsky, Agusta, Eurocopter), defense primes (Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems), engine manufacturers (Pratt & Whitney, GE, Rolls-Royce), and MRO operators worldwide. Product Expert and Tool Compatibility online platforms provide part-number cross-references and tooling selection.

The company has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of Precision Castparts Corp. (PCC) since 2007, operating within PCC's Fastener Products Division. PCC, in turn, provides scale procurement, metallurgical R&D resources, and embedded positioning in the supply chains of Berkshire Hathaway-owned parent. Revenue is generated primarily through hardware sales of fasteners and installation tools via authorized distributors; pricing is not publicly disclosed. Quality and compliance posture is anchored by ISO 9001, AS9100, four Nadcap accreditations covering heat treating, chemical processing, materials testing, and non-destructive testing, plus FAA Parts Manufacturer Approval and TSO C148.

Name

Cherry Aerospace

Legal name

SPS Technologies LLC, DBA Cherry Aerospace

Website

https://cherryaerospace.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Cherry Aerospace is a Santa Ana, California-based manufacturer of aerospace blind fastening systems — including blind rivets, blind bolts, rivetless nut plates, and shear pins — sold exclusively through authorized distributors to commercial OEMs, defense primes, engine manufacturers, and MRO operators worldwide, operating as a subsidiary of Precision Castparts Corp. since 2007.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aerospace Fasteners

NAICS

Bolt, Nut, Screw, Rivet, and Washer Manufacturing (332722), Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (33641)

SIC

Bolts, Nuts, Screws, Rivets & Washers (3452), Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728)

akta.pro primary industry

Aerospace Fasteners & Hardware (IMABANAA)

Keywords

• Aerospace blind fasteners
• Blind rivets
• Blind bolts
• Rivetless nut plates
• Shear pins

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Ana

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Aerospace Fastener Products: Cherry Aerospace manufactures and sells aerospace-grade blind rivets, blind bolts, rivetless nut plates, shear pins, and specialized solid rivets. Products are sold through authorized distributors globally to aerospace OEMs, sub-contractors, and the repair market.
2. Installation Tools: Manufactures and sells installation tools (hand, pneumatic, and pneumatic/hydraulic versions) with optional accessories for difficult and limited access areas. Tool service and repairs conducted by certified U.S. and international repair centers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cherry Aerospace designs and manufactures aerospace-grade blind fastening systems, offering a proprietary range of blind rivets, blind bolts, rivetless nut plates, lockbolts, and shear pins together with matched installation tools. Its fasteners are qualified to commercial and military aerospace specifications (NAS/MS) and are integrated into airframe and engine build programs by major OEMs and their MRO operations.

Product overview

Cherry Aerospace is a global leader for aerospace blind fastening systems, offering a comprehensive portfolio of blind rivets, blind bolts, shear pin fasteners, rivetless nut plates, and associated installation tools. The flagship CherryMAX® products are the most widely-used blind fasteners in the aerospace industry. The product line includes CherryLOCK® structural rivets, Cherry 1900 for composite applications, Cherry SST® for superior sheet take-up, and Cherry MBC® multi-piece rivets in the blind rivet category. Blind bolt offerings feature Maxibolt® Plus, standard Maxibolt®, and Titanium Maxibolt® variants. Specialty products include Rivetless Nut Plates in standard, sealing, and composite versions, plus shear pins such as CherryBUCK® 95 KSI, E-Z Buck®, and Hollow End E-Z Buck®. Supporting the product portfolio is a full range of installation tools including hand, pneumatic, and pneumatic/hydraulic versions, managed through the Product Expert and Tool Compatibility online platforms for part number cross-references and installation tooling selection. All products are sold through authorized distributors and supported by global technical sales representatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CherryMAX®: Locked spindle blind rivet with visible mechanical locking device; the most widely-used blind fasteners in the aerospace industry.
• CherryLOCK®
• Maxibolt®
• CherryBUCK®
• Cherry 1900
• Cherry SST®
• Cherry MBC®
• Rivetless Nut Plate (RNP)
• Cherry Installation Tools

Products and services

• CherryMAX® Blind Rivet NAS-qualified aerospace blind rivet for single-sided structural fastening in aircraft subassemblies; supplied to OEMs, tier suppliers and MROs.
• CherryMAX "AB" Wiredraw Rivet Anti-wiredraw variant of the CherryMAX blind rivet for structural aerospace installations where pull-through must be prevented.
• Cherry 1900® (MIL-R-7885) Rivet MIL-qualified aerospace blind rivet used in structural airframe assembly where MIL-spec compliance is required.
• Cherry SST® Blind Rivet Stainless-steel aerospace blind rivet used in corrosion-sensitive structural applications.
• CherryLOCK® Blind Rivet Locking-type aerospace blind rivet for higher-strength single-sided structural joining in airframe assembly.
• CherryLOCK "A" Nut-Plate Rivet CherryLOCK variant engineered to install Cherry Aerospace rivetless nut plates in a single operation.
• Cherry MBC® Rivet Multi-bowl countersink aerospace blind rivet used for flush-head installations in aircraft skins and stringers.
• Cherry MS Rivet Military-standard aerospace blind rivet for structural use where MS specification compliance is required.
• Cherry SPR 3/32" Self-Plugging Rivet Self-plugging aerospace rivet used to seal and close structural joints without separate sealant operations.
• Cherry Nut-Plate Rivet Cherry blind rivet used to attach nut plates to airframe structures during assembly and repair.
• Cherry Tacking Rivet Tacking rivet used to temporarily locate components in airframe assembly before permanent fastening.
• Chobert® Rivet Chobert-brand aerospace blind rivet carried as part of the Cherry Aerospace fastener portfolio.
• Cherry Maxibolt® Plus Blind Bolt Higher-strength blind bolt for primary structural aerospace joints where only one side is accessible for installation.
• Cherry Maxibolt® Blind Bolt Single-sided aerospace blind bolt for high-strength structural joining where access is limited to one side of the structure.
• Cherry Titanium Maxibolt® Blind Bolt Titanium-alloy aerospace blind bolt for weight-critical primary structural joints in modern airframes.
• Cherry Rivetless Nut Plate Self-attaching nut plate used with CherryLOCK "A" rivets to provide threaded attachment points in airframe structures.
• Cherry Rivetless Nut Plate — Sealing Version Sealed Cherry rivetless nut plate for attaching components in fuel, wet, or pressurized airframe areas.
• Cherry Rivetless Nut Plate — Composite Version Composite-friendly variant of the Cherry rivetless nut plate designed to avoid galvanic damage in composite airframes.
• CherryBUCK® 95 KSI One-Piece Shear Pin High-strength one-piece aerospace shear pin used in primary structural joints and replaceable load paths.
• Cherry E-Z Buck® Shear Pin Field-friendly aerospace shear pin designed to ease installation while maintaining high-strength shear performance.
• Cherry Hollow End E-Z Buck® Shear Pin Hollow-end aerospace shear pin variant for weight-sensitive primary structural joints.
• Cherry Lockbolt High-strength aerospace lockbolt used where access to both sides of the joint is available during installation.
• Cherry Installation Tools Manufacturer-matched pneumatic, hydraulic, and manual tools used to install Cherry blind rivets, blind bolts, nut plates, and shear pins on aircraft production and MRO lines.
• Product Expert — Cherry Online Fastener Selector Online product-selection tool that helps aerospace engineers and technicians choose the correct Cherry Aerospace fastener and matched installation tool for a given installation.
• Tool Compatibility System Online database linking each Cherry Aerospace fastener to the matched Cherry installation tool, used by engineers, buyers, and field technicians to verify tool-rivet pairings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced labor expense through single-sided installation vs traditional two-person solid riveting operations
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers23 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered major, standard, regional and core.

• Century Fasteners Corp.majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCentury Fasteners Corp. is an authorized distributor of Cherry Aerospace fastener products. The partnership enables Century to provide deeper bill of material coverage to manufacturers while expanding availability of Cherry products to distributors and OEMs. Century exhibits at major aerospace events including Farnborough International Airshow and MRO Americas showcasing Cherry products at booths such as Hall 3 Booth #3521-b at Farnborough 2026.
• Century Fasteners de MexicomajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCentury Fasteners de Mexico is an authorized distributor of Cherry Aerospace fastener products and member of FEMIA (Federación de la Industria高新). The partnership expands bill-of-material coverage and service offerings for aerospace, commercial, and electronics manufacturing customers across Mexico.
• Adept FastenersmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized U.S. distributor with locations in Valencia, CA and Arlington, TX. Also provides tool repair services in Texas. International presence in France and UK.
• Boeing Distribution ServicesmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGlobal authorized distributor with locations in U.S., Australia, Canada, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, India, Italy, Poland, Singapore, Turkey, UAE, and UK. Provides both fasteners and installation tools.
• IncoramajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGlobal authorized distributor with extensive international presence including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Poland, Singapore, UK. Also provides tooling distribution in Shanghai, China.
• Align AerospacestandardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor with locations in U.S., Canada, France, and UK.
• Apollo Aerospace ComponentsstandardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized international distributor with locations in China, France, India, Poland, Spain, and UK.
• Cherry Fasteners Ltd.regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor serving Japan market from Tokyo location. Also provides installation tooling distribution supporting Japan region.
• Precision Castparts Corp. (PCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCherry Aerospace is a member of Precision Castparts Corp., specifically part of PCC Fastener Products Division (formerly SPS Fastener Division). PCC acquired the company in 2007. PCC is a leading producer of highly engineered critical fasteners for aerospace, automotive, and other markets, employing over 18,000 people in 110+ facilities worldwide.
• KVT-Fastening AGregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized international distributor serving Europe from locations in Germany and Switzerland. Also provides installation tooling distribution for Europe.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lisi Aerospace: Lisi Aerospace is a leading global manufacturer of aerospace fasteners, structural components, and assembly solutions serving Airbus, Boeing, and other major OEMs. It directly competes with Cherry in blind bolts, blind rivets, and locking fasteners for aircraft structural applications.
• Monogram Aerospace Fasteners (TriMas Aerospace): Monogram Aerospace Fasteners, part of TriMas Aerospace, is a direct competitor manufacturing aerospace blind rivets, lockbolts, and blind bolts for commercial and defense applications. Its VeriLite and Ti-Mate product lines compete head-to-head with CherryMAX and Maxibolt products on major airframes.
• Allfast Fastening Systems: Allfast Fastening Systems manufactures aerospace blind rivets, blind bolts, and lockbolts, with a portfolio that directly parallels Cherry's. It supplies aerospace OEMs and MRO customers worldwide and is a recognized competitor in the same NAS/MIL specification categories.
• Fairchild Fasteners: Fairchild Fasteners (now part of TransDigm) is an aerospace fastener manufacturer specializing in blind rivets, nut plates, and installation tooling. Its products are used on multiple commercial and military airframes, placing it in direct competition with Cherry for OEM specification slots.

Broad incumbents

• Howmet Aerospace (Huck, Deutsch): Howmet Aerospace is a large diversified aerospace supplier producing fasteners (Huck brand), engineered structures, and propulsion systems. Huck's blind bolts and lockbolts overlap directly with Cherry's Maxibolt and Lockbolt product lines, making Howmet one of Cherry's most significant global competitors.
• Stanley Black & Decker (Aerospace): Stanley Black & Decker operates a sizeable aerospace fastening systems business (including legacy Huck/Pop rivet technology) serving commercial and defense markets. It competes with Cherry on blind rivets and lockbolts, though as part of a much broader industrial portfolio rather than a pure-play aerospace specialist.
• Textron (Avdel, Acument): Textron previously owned Cherry Aerospace through the Avdel/Textron Aerospace Fasteners/Acument Global Technologies lineage (1959-2007). Textron's fastening businesses (including Avdel blind bolts) remain direct competitors to Cherry in aerospace blind fastening and structural assembly.

Others

• Precision Castparts Corp. (PCC) Fastener Products Division: PCC's Fastener Products Division is Cherry Aerospace's sister organization within Precision Castparts Corp., manufacturing high-spec aerospace bolts, screws, and specialty fasteners. Although they are operationally separate, both share distribution channels and parent-level strategic priorities, making them structurally and competitively linked.
• Würth Industrie (Würth Group): Würth Industrie is a major European fastener supplier and distributor serving aerospace and industrial OEMs. While not a direct blind-rivet manufacturer, Würth competes with Cherry at the distribution channel level in Europe and supplies complementary aerospace-grade fastening solutions.
• Arconic Aerospace: Arconic supplies aerospace aluminum, titanium, and engineered products used in airframe structures and fastening systems. While not a blind rivet specialist, it is an adjacent peer in the aerospace fastener value chain through its proprietary alloys and fastener materials that compete with Cherry's Monel, Inconel, and titanium offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cherry Aerospace