A Dream Come True

September 16, 2024

Greg Engleman, General Manager CeralUSA & Qualified Coating Services

PAG MANUFACTURING/DER SERVICES

Our in-house capabilities help reduce the number of times customers have to ship their parts between component and coating providers.

“I’ve been involved in aviation since a young age,” said Greg. “My Dad flew in A3’s as a Navy navigator and electronics officer. After the Navy, he maintained his interest in aviation and earned a private pilot’s license. We went to airshows and enjoyed building experimental aircraft (including one in the garage while I was growing up). He died in an aircraft accident in 1990─he was the pilot. I didn’t want anything further to do with flying, but my heart remained in aviation.”

Greg entered Central Washington University the same year, majoring in physics and minoring in math. As a polymath, his passion was learning, also working on minors in philosophy, chemistry, and several languages. He was “forced to graduate” in 1998 because, according to the school’s administration, his credits would expire if he didn’t.

“I started my career as a 13-week intern at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee,” said Greg. “Learning the practical applications of aviation materials was exciting and I was invited to pursue a follow-on internship. That turned into nine years, starting as an engineer in training then becoming a materials researcher.”

Greg continued to take advantage of learning opportunities at Oak Ridge, earning a Masters in Material Science and Engineering from the UT Space Institute.

“Joining CeralUSA in 2012 was a dream come true. It was an opportunity to work in aviation using everything I had learned,” he continued.

CeralUSA Beginnings ─

“In 2008 Bruce Bodger, a government consultant who had been exploring eco-friendly ‘Chrome-Free’ Ceramic Aluminum Coatings (CERAL), established CeralUSA to commercialize the products,” Greg explained. “In aerospace, development and testing requires a lot of time before products can be launched, not to mention establishing a customer base. By 2012, Bruce had decided that he “wasn’t losing enough money” selling coatings, so he started Qualified Coating Services (QCS).

“Bruce and I worked together to start QCS, and wrote manuals and procedures. In 2013, QCS obtained Repair Station Certification, and we began to process parts for customers. We’ve enjoyed solid growth for 12 years, adding new processes along the way with the goal to better serve customers. Our in-house capabilities help reduce the number of times customers have to ship their parts between component and coating providers.”

Three years ago, QCS added capability to provide the glass bead peening stress relief process. Similar to blasting, peening uses a different media and puts compressive stress on surfaces to relieve and prevent cracking. At present, the company is adding Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) capabilities to make repairs and coatings faster for customers.

“While we have comprehensive teams for both sales and service, we are in effect one team moving back and forth. As a new member of the PAG family, we look forward to expanding our capabilities and capacity for helping aviation operators stay in the air,” Greg concluded.

Both Sides of CeralUSA:

  • CeralUSA manufactures eco-friendly coatings, as well as liquid slurries shipped to and applied by customers and other providers worldwide (including US, CA, AU, EU, UK, MX, SA, SG, TH).
  • CeralUSA customers include major global industries requiring specific formulations and processes required for power generation, automotive, oil/gas and marine platforms, diving equipment, ship turbines, etc.
  • QCS applies CeralUSA coatings and others to PT6, PW100, JT12, JT15, engine compressor components.
  • QCS primarily supports aerospace Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) organizations.
  • QCS supports customers worldwide (including US, CA, AU, UK, IL, CH, CL).

Contact Greg Engleman: +1 405.455.7720 | greg.engleman@ceralusa.com

─ PAG Insider

CeralUSA

Qualified Coating Services

Improving Aircraft Performance with Eco-Friendly Coatings

About PAG

Others Sell Parts, We Sell Support.

PAG supports operators in the Airline, Business and General Aviation (BGA), and the Military markets through its Inventory Supported Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (ISMRO®) business model, with focused capabilities in Avionics, Engines, Components, and Manufacturing/DER Services

At PAG, employees get the exchange of talent, experiences, and resources of multiple companies all while working for one. With 24 Repair Stations, and over 1.1-million-square-feet of sales and service facilities in the United States, Canada, Australia, Singapore, and Brazil – PAG’s 27 locations and customer-focused business model serve aviation customers through Supply Chain and Inventory Supported Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (ISMRO®) services. PAG is one of only 11 companies, outside of OEMs, to collectively hold all FAA certifications.

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