Metal, Margins, and Mission-Critical Parts with Mick Montesi

Mick Montesi runs an aerospace components manufacturer supplying structural metal parts to defense, commercial, and space OEMs like Boeing and Airbus.

In this episode, Mick breaks down what it actually takes to become an approved aerospace supplier, why the onboarding process can take up to two years, and how his company competes on speed and in-house capability rather than price.

What we cover:

• What an aerospace components manufacturer actually does and who the end customers are
• Why defense and commercial customers have completely different priorities (speed vs. price)
• How Mick's company wins work through in-house heat treating, painting, and welding instead of outsourcing
• The two-year supplier onboarding process and why most companies buy their way into aerospace instead of starting from scratch
• How quality control works when a single defect can be a life-and-death issue, including in-process inspection, first article inspection, and third-party source inspectors
• The difference between AS9100 and NADCAP certifications, and why not having the right certifications in-house can cost you the job
• How staffing and capacity planning work when no two parts made in a day look the same
• The mix of sheet metal and CNC machining that makes Mick's company unusual among competitors
• Why CapEx requirements and long growth timelines make aerospace one of the hardest industries to break into

Connect with Mick:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mickmontesi/
• Company inquiries: Quotes@ValleyTL.com