LMI Aerospace
LMI Aerospace is a US-based, vertically integrated manufacturer and engineering services provider of structural assemblies, kits and components for the commercial, business/regional and defense aerospace markets, serving Boeing, Airbus, Gulfstream, Bombardier, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Sikorsky and other major OEMs across 13 US locations plus Mexico.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1948
- HeadquartersSt. Charles, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What LMI Aerospace does
LMI Aerospace, Inc. is an integrated aerospace structures company providing structural assemblies, kits and components, alongside design engineering and program management services, to commercial, business/regional and defense aerospace customers. Operations span 13 US locations plus a Mexico manufacturing facility (Mexicali, established 2006), totaling more than 1,000,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing capacity and approximately 1,500 engineering, manufacturing and testing personnel. Core capabilities are organized into three buckets: Aerostructures (machining, sheet metal fabrication, stretch forming, processing, kitting and distribution, assembly), Engineering (system design and integration, design for manufacturing and cost, production support, support services, product design, tooling), and Design Build (turnkey concept-to-certification programs). Technical differentiators include proprietary composite machining methods, 5-axis milling, large-sheet stretch forming up to 40 feet, NADCAP-certified chemical processing up to 30+ feet, and structural weight optimization expertise.
The company sells directly to aerospace OEMs and tier-1 integrators via enterprise field sales, on a quote-based, multi-year contract model. Its customer base spans Boeing (737/747/757/767/777/787 and military F/A-18, F-22, F-35, F-15), Airbus (A350, A320), Gulfstream (G280, G450, G550, G500/600, G650), Bombardier (Challenger, Global Express, RJ), Mitsubishi (MRJ), Embraer (KC-390), Sikorsky (CH-53K, UH-60), Bell (V-22), Lockheed Martin (F-22, JSF), Northrop Grumman (JSF), and the US Navy (NAVAIR/SEAPORT, 20+ year tenure). LMI has earned recurring Supplier of the Year and Platinum Supplier recognition from Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Aviation Partners Boeing, and Spirit AeroSystems. AS9100, NADCAP and DFARS 225.7014 certifications are held across the network.
Since February-June 2017, LMI has been an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Sonaca Group, a Belgian aerospace tier-1 headquartered in Gosselies with operations in China, Romania, Canada and Brazil. The acquisition returned LMI to private ownership after 19 years as a NASDAQ-listed entity (LMIA) and aligned it with Sonaca's advanced structures portfolio. LMI's growth pre-Sonaca was driven by serial M&A (Tempco and Versaform/Southern Stretch in 2001, D3 Technologies in 2007, Intec in 2009, TASS and Valent in 2012, and Powerway in 2009 per acquisitions data). Current leadership includes CEO Kevin Goossens (appointed 2020, formerly of ASCO Industries) and CFO Clifford C. Stebe, Jr. (CFO since 2013).
LMI Aerospace firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- LMI Aerospace
- Legal name
- LMI Aerospace, Inc.
- Website
- https://lmiaerospace.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1948
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- LMI Aerospace is a US-based, vertically integrated manufacturer and engineering services provider of structural assemblies, kits and components for the commercial, business/regional and defense aerospace markets, serving Boeing, Airbus, Gulfstream, Bombardier, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Sikorsky and other major OEMs across 13 US locations plus Mexico.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
LMI Aerospace industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Aerospace Structural Components and Aerostructures Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (33641), Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336413), Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336419)
- SIC
- Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728), Aircraft & Parts (3720)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Interior Structural Components (Floor Beams, Seat Tracks, Frames) (IMABAEAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Parts Distribution & Spares Management (Aftermarket) (IMABALAK)
Keywords
Where LMI Aerospace is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- St. Charles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices12 records
Markets served
LMI Aerospace business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Aerospace Structural Components: Fabrication, machining, finishing, kitting, and assembly of machined and formed close tolerance aluminum, specialty alloy, and composite components. Revenue from direct product sales to aerospace OEMs.
- Engineering and Program Management Services: Design engineering services supporting aircraft product lifecycles from design to fleet support via complete turnkey engineering solutions, including system design, product design, tooling, and production support.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom aerospace components and engineering services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
LMI Aerospace product offering
Product offeringCore offering
LMI Aerospace fabricates, machines, finishes, kits, and assembles close tolerance aluminum, specialty alloy, and composite structural components for commercial, business/regional, and defense aerospace OEMs. The company also provides design engineering and program management services supporting aircraft lifecycles from design to fleet support via complete turnkey engineering solutions. Operates as a vertically integrated one-stop shop spanning 13 manufacturing locations across the United States and Mexico.
Product overview
LMI Aerospace is an integrated aerospace structures company offering a unified portfolio of manufacturing and engineering services. The core offerings consist of three interconnected capability areas: Aerostructures (assemblies, machining, sheet metal fabrication, stretch forming, processing, kitting and distribution), Engineering (system design and integration, design for manufacturing, production support, support services, product design, and tooling), and Design Build (full turnkey solutions from concept to certification). These capabilities serve three market segments: Commercial (Boeing, Airbus platforms), Business/Regional (Gulfstream, Bombardier, Mitsubishi), and Defense (F-22, F/A-18, F-35, rotorcraft). The company operates as a vertically integrated provider enabling customers to access complete aerostructure solutions from a single source.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Aerostructures Comprehensive aerostructure manufacturing services including assemblies, machining, sheet metal fabrication, stretch forming, processing, kitting and distribution, and composite manufacturing for commercial, business/regional, and military aircraft OEMs such as Boeing, Airbus, Sikorsky, Gulfstream, Bombardier and Embraer.
- Engineering Services Full-spectrum aerospace engineering services including system design and integration, design for manufacturing and cost, production support, aftermarket support services, product design, and tooling for aircraft lifecycle support.
- Design Build Solutions Integrated design-build solutions from concept development and tool design through manufacturing, testing and certification, delivering complete turnkey engineering and manufacturing solutions for aircraft programs.
- Commercial Aerospace Market Solutions Aerospace structures, systems and components tailored for large commercial aircraft OEMs including Boeing 737, 747, 757, 767, 777, 787 and Airbus A350, A320 platforms.
- Business and Regional Aviation Market Solutions Aerostructures, systems and components for business jet and regional aircraft OEMs including Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ-200), Gulfstream G500/600/G650/G450/G550/G280, Bombardier Challenger, Global Express, and RJ programs.
- Defense Aerospace Market Solutions Defense aerospace capabilities supporting F-22, F/A-18, JSF (F-35), F-15, V-22 Osprey, CH-53K and UH-60 Blackhawk programs with full spectrum capabilities across the aircraft lifecycle from design build to manufacture and aftermarket solutions, including NAVAIR and SEAPORT support.
Quantifiable outcome
- More than 40 separate MRO locations worldwide supported with engineering services
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use LMI Aerospace
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
LMI Aerospace technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
LMI Aerospace partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Sonaca GroupcoreLMI became an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Sonaca S.A. in February 2017. Sonaca Group is a global Belgian company active in the development, manufacturing and assembly of advanced structures for civil, military and space markets. The group is especially known for capability to design and produce advanced structures such as wing movables and complex fuselages. Sonaca Group headquarters in Gosselies, Belgium with production facilities in China, Romania, Canada and Brazil.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
LMI Aerospace competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Triumph Group: Aerospace structures and systems supplier with integrated design-build-to-aftermarket capabilities analogous to LMI's, serving commercial, business/regional, and defense markets. Direct overlap in machined and assembled close-tolerance aluminum and composite aerostructures.
- Magellan Aerospace: Canadian aerostructures and engine components supplier with machining, forming, and assembly capabilities similar to LMI's, and explicit positions on business jets, regional jets, and defense platforms. Comparable vertically integrated model.
- Senior plc: UK-listed aerospace and defense components specialist with machined and fabricated close-tolerance structural parts across commercial and military programs. Directly comparable business model serving Western OEMs.
- GKN Aerospace: Global aerostructures and engine components supplier (now part of Melrose Industries) with deep positions on Airbus, Boeing, and defense platforms. Comparable in offering integrated design, manufacturing, and aftermarket support for composite and metallic aerostructures.
- Hexcel: Leading aerospace composites manufacturer supplying carbon fiber reinforcements and engineered parts to the same OEM programs LMI serves. Relevant peer because LMI's proprietary composite machining capability addresses the same next-generation composite airframe trend Hexcel supplies into.
- Spirit AeroSystems: Largest independent aerostructures Tier-1 supplier, producing fuselage, wing, and propulsion structures for Boeing, Airbus, and defense OEMs — the same commercial and defense platforms LMI serves. Strategic Partner of the Year award from Spirit to LMI underscores the operational overlap.
- Ducommun: US-based Tier-2 aerospace structural components manufacturer with capabilities in machining, forming, assembly, and engineering services serving Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop, and other LMI customers. Closest direct competitor by scale and product mix.
Broad incumbents
- Precision Castparts Corp. Berkshire Hathaway-owned aerospace components and structures conglomerate with significantly broader scope than LMI across castings, forgings, fasteners, and aerostructures. Comparable in aerospace structural content but at much greater scale and vertical breadth.
- TransDigm Group: Large diversified aerospace components supplier focused on proprietary systems and subsystems rather than primary structural assemblies. Adjacent peer for benchmarking aerospace component supplier economics even though direct product overlap with LMI is limited.
Others
- Sonaca Group: Belgian parent of LMI Aerospace and itself a major aerostructures manufacturer for Airbus and other civil/military/space OEMs. Listed here as an ecosystem reference — Sonaca's broader capabilities inform the strategic context within which LMI operates.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
LMI Aerospace social profiles
Digital presenceLMI Aerospace compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
LMI Aerospace financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
LMI Aerospace leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
LMI Aerospace funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
LMI Aerospace M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about LMI Aerospace
What does LMI Aerospace do?
LMI Aerospace fabricates, machines, finishes, kits, and assembles close tolerance aluminum, specialty alloy, and composite structural components for commercial, business/regional, and defense aerospace OEMs. The company also provides design engineering and program management services supporting aircraft lifecycles from design to fleet support via complete turnkey engineering solutions. Operates as a vertically integrated one-stop shop spanning 13 manufacturing locations across the United States and Mexico.
Is LMI Aerospace a public or private company?
LMI Aerospace is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was LMI Aerospace founded?
LMI Aerospace was founded in 1948. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is LMI Aerospace based?
LMI Aerospace is headquartered in St. Charles, United States, in the North America region.
How does LMI Aerospace make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Aerospace Structural Components are the primary driver. The others are engineering and Program Management Services.
Who are LMI Aerospace's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Triumph Group, Magellan Aerospace, Senior plc, GKN Aerospace, Hexcel, Spirit AeroSystems and Ducommun. Broad incumbents are Precision Castparts Corp. and TransDigm Group. Sonaca Group is listed as an others.
Does LMI Aerospace have an API?
No public API is recorded for LMI Aerospace.
What industry is LMI Aerospace in?
LMI Aerospace's product category is Aerospace Structural Components and Aerostructures Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABAEAJ, Interior Structural Components (Floor Beams, Seat Tracks, Frames), with a secondary code of IMABALAK, Parts Distribution & Spares Management (Aftermarket). Its NAICS code is 33641 and its SIC code is 3728.