Mercury GSE
Mercury GSE is a privately held U.S. provider of aircraft ground support equipment, offering rentals, long-term leasing, sales, and 24/7 support across 12+ equipment categories. It serves commercial airlines, cargo operators, ground handlers, FBOs, and MRO facilities from facilities near LAX, DFW, and Victorville.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1948
- HeadquartersVictorville, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Mercury GSE does
Mercury GSE is a privately held U.S. provider of aircraft ground support equipment (GSE), founded in 1948 at LAX by former Flying Tigers members and operating today from three owned facilities near LAX (Victorville), DFW (Saginaw, TX), and a rental division near LAX, with a fourth East Coast facility under development for Nashville or North Carolina. The company offers a portfolio of 12+ equipment categories—cargo loaders, pushback tractors, ground power units, aircraft air conditioners, passenger stairs, air start units, baggage tugs, belt loaders, dollies, E-GSE charging solutions, and service vehicles—sourced from leading OEMs including JBT AeroTech, TLD, TUG Technologies, Clyde Machines, ITW GSE, and Oshkosh AeroTech, and positions itself as operating the "newest fleet in the industry."
The company's revenue model is multi-streamed: short-term equipment rentals, long-term leasing programs of 24–84 months with capital and operating lease structures (including sale-leaseback recapitalization), new and refurbished equipment sales, and recurring maintenance and support services bundled under the "Mercury GSE Advantage" program, which includes preventative maintenance, 24/7 technical support with stated 0–2 hour response times, remote diagnostics via telemetry, a customer portal, and TSA-approved same-day parts shipping. Distribution is direct via a quote-based enterprise sales motion supported by traveling technicians and a transportation network covering the U.S. and Canada, with international customer engagements (e.g., North Bay Jack Garland Airport's Airbus A350 program).
Mercury GSE targets five primary verticals: commercial airlines, cargo and logistics operators (UPS, DHL, Amazon), ground handlers, fixed-based operators (FBOs), and MRO facilities. The customer base includes Alaska Airlines, Southwest, Spirit, American, and United airlines, plus UPS, DHL, Amazon, Skydweller, and Primeflight. The company is privately held under Cembrus Capital ownership since 1988, is led by CEO Jason Gendron and President Bob Travis, and in 2025 added Eric Davis as VP of Operations, Karla Harrington as VP of Leasing, and Joe Davis as VP of Customer Experience to support its next phase of growth.
Mercury GSE firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Mercury GSE
- Legal name
- Mercury GSE
- Website
- https://mercurygse.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1948
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Mercury GSE is a privately held U.S. provider of aircraft ground support equipment, offering rentals, long-term leasing, sales, and 24/7 support across 12+ equipment categories. It serves commercial airlines, cargo operators, ground handlers, FBOs, and MRO facilities from facilities near LAX, DFW, and Victorville.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Mercury GSE industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Aircraft Ground Support Equipment (GSE) Rental, Leasing, and Sales
- NAICS
- Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (33641)
- SIC
- Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728), Wholesale-Machinery, Equipment & Supplies (5080)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ground Support Equipment (GSE) MRO (Airport Tugs, Loaders, GPUs) (TLAKAHAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Aircraft Ground Support Equipment (GSE) Maintenance & Repair (EDAOAFAL), Airport Ground Support Equipment (GSE) Vehicle Manufacturing (IMACAFAK), Ground Operations Decarbonization (electric GSE, renewable power, charging) (THABANAG)
Keywords
Where Mercury GSE is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Victorville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Mercury GSE business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Equipment Rentals: Short-term rentals of ground support equipment to the aviation industry worldwide. The rental division near LAX handles high-quality GSE rentals at affordable rates with expert inspection and servicing upon return.
- Equipment Leasing: Long-term leasing programs (24-84 months) with capital and operating lease options featuring new and zero-time equipment, full market value, and renewal options. Also includes recapitalize sale-leasebacks and equipment refresh programs.
- Equipment Sales: Sales of new equipment from leading GSE manufacturers including JBT AeroTech, TLD, TUG Technologies, Clyde Machines, and ITW GSE. Also supplies refurbished 'like new' equipment with short delivery times worldwide.
- Maintenance and Support Services: 24/7 breakdown support, preventative maintenance, remote diagnostics, traveling technicians, parts support, and warranty support services bundled with rentals and leases.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Short-term rentals for peak season and temporary needs |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Long-term leasing (24-84 months) for fleet expansion |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Equipment sales (new and refurbished) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Mercury GSE product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Mercury GSE provides aircraft ground support equipment (GSE) rentals, long-term leasing, fleet sales, and 24/7 maintenance and technical support to aviation operators in North America. The company maintains the newest fleet in the industry across 12+ equipment categories (cargo loaders, pushback tractors, GPUs, air conditioners, aircraft stairs, air start units, baggage tugs, belt loaders, dollies, e-GSE charging solutions, service vehicles) sourced from leading manufacturers, complemented by the Mercury GSE Advantage support program with preventative maintenance, remote diagnostics, traveling technicians, and a customer portal.
Product overview
Mercury GSE is a ground support equipment (GSE) provider offering a comprehensive portfolio of equipment rentals, leasing, and sales backed by the Mercury GSE Advantage support program. The core product portfolio includes 12 equipment categories: Cargo Loaders (Oshkosh AeroTech Commander, Ranger, TLD 929), Pushback Tractors (Oshkosh AeroTech B-series, Lektro electric towbarless), Ground Power Units (TLD, ITW at 90-180 kVA), Air Conditioners (Oshkosh Jet Aire, TLD ACU series), Aircraft Stairs (Clyde), Air Start Units (TUG, TLD), Baggage Tugs (TUG, Toyota, TLD), Belt Loaders (TUG), Dollies (Clyde LD7), E-GSE Charging Solutions (Averest, Oshkosh AmpCart), Service Vehicles (Eagle, Stinar, TLD, Wilcox), and Other Rentals. Services include short-term rentals, long-term leasing (24-84 months), fleet sales of new and refurbished equipment, and comprehensive support through the Mercury GSE Advantage including preventative maintenance, 24/7 technical support, remote diagnostics via telemetry, traveling technicians, and a customer portal for real-time inventory access. Transportation and logistics services enable delivery across the US and Canada.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cargo Loaders Heavy-lift cargo loading equipment with capacities ranging from 7 to over 30 tons for airlines and cargo operators, including Oshkosh AeroTech Commander models (15i, 15 Universal, 15 Wide, 30i), Ranger, and TLD 929 for aircraft ranging from A320 to B747F.
- Pushback Tractors Aircraft pushback and tow tractors including Oshkosh AeroTech B-series (B1200, B250, B350, B600, B650, B700, B950) and Oshkosh Lektro all-electric towbarless aircraft tow tractors (88i, 89), offered to airlines, ground handlers, and FBOs.
- Ground Power Units (GPUs) Ground power units for aircraft maintenance and repair from TLD and ITW, available in various hertz and voltage ranges including 90 kVA, 120 kVA, 140 kVA, and 180 kVA models.
- Aircraft Air Conditioners Aircraft air conditioning units including Oshkosh AeroTech Jet Aire M-60 (30-ton), TLD ACU-302-CUP (24-ton), ACU-802-CUP (115-ton), and ACU-804-CUP (60-ton) models with heating capabilities for cold weather operations.
- Aircraft Stairs Mobile passenger stairs and crew stairs for narrow and wide-body aircraft access, including Clyde Crew Stairs models (15F2011, 15F2698) and Clyde Towable Passenger Stairs (15F2830).
- Air Start Units Aircraft engine air start units from TUG and TLD including Textron TUG Air Start TMD 330 and TLD ASU-600 series (150, 180, 270 PPM) models.
- Baggage Tugs Aircraft baggage tow tractors from TUG, Toyota, and TLD including JST series (20, 25, 30, E), Toyota TD25, and TUG MA-50 models.
- Belt Loaders Conveyor belt loaders for efficient cargo loading and unloading from aircraft, including TUG 660 Belt Loader with electric variants like TUG 660E.
- Dollies Aircraft cargo dollies from Clyde with undercarriage protection and towbar-actuated brakes, including LD7 Close Deck and LD7 Open Deck models.
- E-GSE Charging Solutions Electric ground support equipment charging solutions including Averest Ramp Runner Mobile eGSE Charging Cart and Oshkosh AeroTech AmpCart Towable Charging Station for electric GSE fleet support.
- Service Vehicles Ground support service vehicles including Eagle Tug EB2 Bobtail, Stinar lavatory service trucks (SLS-500PL), potable water trucks (SPW 500PL), TLD lavatory vehicles (LSP 900, LSP-900-V-E), TLD water service vehicles (WSP-900, WSP-900-V-E), and Wilcox Airport Cargo Bobtail.
- Equipment Rentals Short-term rental of high-quality ground support equipment to the aviation industry worldwide, with large inventory for any aircraft at affordable rates, including expert inspection and servicing upon return.
- Equipment Leasing Long-term leasing programs with 24- to 84-month capital and operating lease options with new and zero-time equipment, full market value and renewal options, including sale-leaseback recapitalization.
- Fleet Sales Sales of new equipment from leading manufacturers (JBT AeroTech, TLD, TUG Technologies, Clyde Machines, ITW GSE) plus a selection of refurbished, like-new equipment with short delivery times worldwide.
- Mercury GSE Advantage Comprehensive support program including preventative maintenance inspections, 24/7 technical support, dedicated support team with parts manager, warranty support, telemetry with remote diagnostics, and customer portal with real-time equipment inventory access.
- 24/7 Technical Support Round-the-clock technical service with 24/7 breakdown repair, remote diagnostics, traveling technicians, and on-site support at customer aviation facilities nationwide.
- Transportation Services Nationwide GSE delivery and logistics services across the United States and Canada with pre-lift inspections, safety protocols, and trusted truck drivers for swift and safe equipment delivery.
Quantifiable outcome
- 24/7 technical support with 0-2 hours initial response and triage
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Mercury GSE
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Mercury GSE technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Mercury GSE partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- JBT AeroTechcoreJBT AeroTech is a key equipment manufacturer partner providing cargo loaders (Commander series, Ranger), pushback tractors (B1200, B250, B350, B600, B650, B700, B950), and other ground support equipment that Mercury GSE integrates into its rental and leasing fleet.
- TLDcoreTLD is a major equipment manufacturer supplying air conditioners (ACU series), ground power units (GPU series), air start units (ASU series), baggage tugs (JST series), and other GSE that Mercury GSE offers through its rental, leasing, and sales programs.
- TUG TechnologiescoreTUG Technologies provides belt loaders (660 series), air start units (TMD series), baggage tugs (MA series), and other equipment that Mercury GSE integrates into its fleet offerings.
- Clyde MachinescoreClyde Machines supplies aircraft stairs and passenger stairs (15F series) and dollies (LD7 series) that Mercury GSE includes in its equipment portfolio.
- ITW GSEcoreITW GSE is a manufacturer of ground power units (Jet Ex series) including 28V, 90 KVA, and other GPU models that Mercury GSE offers to its customers.
- Oshkosh AeroTechcoreOshkosh AeroTech is a key manufacturer partner providing pushback tractors (B series), cargo loaders (Commander series), air conditioners (Jet Aire series), and the all-electric Lektro towbarless aircraft tow tractors (88i, 89) that Mercury GSE features in its fleet.
- National Business Aviation Association (NBAA)minorMercury GSE is a proud member of NBAA and participates in NBAA-BACE events.
- International Airport Equipment Manufacturers' Association (IAEMA)minorMercury GSE is a member of IAEMA, the international airport equipment manufacturers' association.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves13 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Mercury GSE competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Aviator (formerly HiSERV): Aviator (rebrand of HiSERV) is one of the largest independent GSE rental and leasing providers globally, offering a comparable multi-OEM fleet (JBT, TLD, TUG, Tronair) to airlines, ground handlers, and airports across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the Americas — directly competing with Mercury GSE for the same enterprise customer set.
- TCR Group: TCR is a European-headquartered GSE rental and leasing specialist serving airlines, ground handlers, and airports with multi-OEM fleets and on-site service. Its rental-lease-service model and target customer mix (airlines, handlers, FBOs) closely mirror Mercury GSE's offering, albeit with a stronger European footprint.
- Sasse Aviation: Sasse is an independent GSE service and leasing provider with operations in Germany and broader Europe, supplying pushbacks, belt loaders, GPUs, and de-icers to airlines and handlers. It competes with Mercury GSE on the same product categories and customer types from a regional base.
Broad incumbents
- JBT AeroTech (JBT Corporation): JBT AeroTech is both a core OEM supplier of cargo loaders, GPUs, and pushback tractors to Mercury's fleet and a direct competitor through its own aftermarket services and direct sales to airlines and airports. Comparable because it supplies much of the equipment Mercury rents and leases.
- Oshkosh AeroTech: Oshkosh AeroTech manufactures pushback tractors (B-series), cargo loaders (Commander), aircraft AC units (Jet Aire), and all-electric Lektro towbarless tractors that Mercury GSE distributes and rents. It is also a broader incumbent in GSE manufacturing and aftermarket service with global reach.
- TLD (ALVEST Group): TLD is a major GSE manufacturer supplying GPUs, ACUs, ASUs, baggage tugs, and belt loaders integrated into Mercury's rental/leasing fleet. Comparable as a leading incumbent whose equipment Mercury competes to deploy and service at customer airports.
- Textron Ground Support Equipment (TUG Technologies): Textron's TUG Technologies business manufactures belt loaders, air start units, and baggage tugs supplied to Mercury GSE. It is an incumbent in the same GSE categories Mercury rents and services, with broader portfolio and global scale.
Others
- Primeflight Aviation Services: Primeflight is a US-based aviation services provider offering ground handling, fueling, and GSE-related operations. It is a customer/adjacent ecosystem participant to Mercury GSE rather than a direct rental competitor, sharing airline and FBO relationships.
- Menzies Aviation: Menzies Aviation is one of the world's largest ground handlers, operating GSE fleets for airlines globally. It is an adjacent customer/competitor that influences GSE procurement decisions and represents both a potential customer and an insourcing threat to Mercury GSE.
- dnata: dnata is a major global air services provider (part of Emirates Group) operating ground handling and cargo operations across multiple continents. Like Menzies, it is adjacent to Mercury's core business — a potential GSE customer and an insourcing competitor at airports where it holds handler contracts.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Mercury GSE social profiles
Digital presenceMercury GSE financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Mercury GSE leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Mercury GSE funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Mercury GSE M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Mercury GSE
What does Mercury GSE do?
Mercury GSE provides aircraft ground support equipment (GSE) rentals, long-term leasing, fleet sales, and 24/7 maintenance and technical support to aviation operators in North America. The company maintains the newest fleet in the industry across 12+ equipment categories (cargo loaders, pushback tractors, GPUs, air conditioners, aircraft stairs, air start units, baggage tugs, belt loaders, dollies, e-GSE charging solutions, service vehicles) sourced from leading manufacturers, complemented by the Mercury GSE Advantage support program with preventative maintenance, remote diagnostics, traveling technicians, and a customer portal.
Is Mercury GSE a public or private company?
Mercury GSE is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Mercury GSE founded?
Mercury GSE was founded in 1948. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Mercury GSE based?
Mercury GSE is headquartered in Victorville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Mercury GSE make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Equipment Rentals are the primary driver. The others are equipment Leasing, equipment Sales and maintenance and Support Services.
Who are Mercury GSE's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Aviator (formerly HiSERV), TCR Group and Sasse Aviation. Broad incumbents are JBT AeroTech (JBT Corporation), Oshkosh AeroTech, TLD (ALVEST Group) and Textron Ground Support Equipment (TUG Technologies). Others are Primeflight Aviation Services, Menzies Aviation and dnata.
Does Mercury GSE have an API?
No public API is recorded for Mercury GSE.
What industry is Mercury GSE in?
Mercury GSE's product category is Aircraft Ground Support Equipment (GSE) Rental, Leasing, and Sales. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAKAHAG, Ground Support Equipment (GSE) MRO (Airport Tugs, Loaders, GPUs), with a secondary code of EDAOAFAL, Aircraft Ground Support Equipment (GSE) Maintenance & Repair. Its NAICS code is 33641 and its SIC code is 3728.