KF Aerospace appeared to be in trouble a few years ago when it lost some lucrative contracts and, in turn, more than 100 employees.

Now the Kelowna company害羞草研究所檚 star is back on the rise with a series of new contracts lined-up, allowing for a bit of a hiring spree.

The company signed a contract with Aeronautical Engineers, Inc. , which developed the engineering rights and modification packages to convert a passenger aircraft into a cargo aircraft.

KF is now licensed to install these cargo doors into B737-400, B737-800, MD80, and CRJ aircraft on AEI害羞草研究所檚 behalf. In conjunction with that contract, KF Aerospace signed a customer 害羞草研究所擵x Capital 害羞草研究所� that provides them with the opportunity to convert up to 19 B737害羞草研究所檚 they own to from passenger to cargo configuration over the next three years.

害羞草研究所淓ven better, we still have a few other announcements pending over the next few weeks 害羞草研究所� all good news,害羞草研究所� said Grant Stevens, KF Aerospace害羞草研究所檚 director of human resources.

All of these new contracts will mean more jobs.

Staffing wise we are back well over 800 employees nationally, and currently looking to fill about 90 positions across Canada. Kelowna has over 575 staff now, and will reach about 650 by end of summer.

害羞草研究所淥ur Hangar expansion remains on track for July 1,害羞草研究所� he said.

It害羞草研究所檚 still not quite as many employees as they previous to 2015 when the company lost its contract to be Purolator Courier害羞草研究所檚 mainline operations and Canada Post mail service. The two were estimated to be worth upwards of $1 billion.

At that time, KF Aerospace employed 1,000 and that number included pilots and others on the flight operations side of the business.

It is remarkable growth, and it comes from a concerted effort to grow the maintenance side of the business while the flight operations side went into a period of retraction.

害羞草研究所淚 think there are a couple things that happened for KF. We害羞草研究所檝e been recognized within the industry for many years for having very good quality work and that害羞草研究所檚 because of the outstanding employees who work for us,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淟ike any industry, people talk about (good work), and that害羞草研究所檚 enabled us to grow the business from a maintenance perspective even though the marketplace is a bit smaller.害羞草研究所�

The other reason for growth is being attributed to an adjustment to their business plan.

害羞草研究所淲e had some challenges in 2015 when we lost Purolator,害羞草研究所� said Stevens.

害羞草研究所淲e knew then that maintenance was going to be a larger part of our business so we thought , 害羞草研究所榳hat can we do to make it more successful?害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

The company put together a business development group, assigned people within that group to work with existing customers and to generate additional longer-term business opportunities and invested in training. That created the space for new growth.

All in all, Stevens said they害羞草研究所檝e 害羞草研究所済rown better than expected.害羞草研究所�