B/E Aerospace

B/E Aerospace was a United States aerospace manufacturer specializing in aircraft passenger-cabin interiors and associated systems. Founded in 1987 by Amin Khoury, the company grew from a small enterprise into a global supplier serving virtually every major segment of the aviation industry. Its customers included commercial airlines, aircraft manufacturers, leasing companies, and business-jet operators across international markets. The company’s principal activities centered on aircraft seating, cabin structures, lavatories, galleys, lighting, oxygen equipment, food and beverage systems, and other interior products. B/E became particularly prominent in the airline seating market, where it supplied economy, premium-economy, business-class, and other passenger-seat configurations. Its Diamond Business Class Seat became one of its best-known offerings and was installed by a wide range of international airlines. B/E also competed in business-jet seating and supplied specialized interior equipment for commercial and military aircraft. Growth was driven by a combination of internal development and acquisitions. In 2001, B/E acquired M&M Aerospace Hardware, expanding its aerospace fasteners distribution activities. In 2008, it completed the purchase of Honeywell’s Consumables Solutions distribution business, a transaction that materially broadened its aerospace distribution operations. The company later separated its fasteners and consumables activities into KLX, Inc., completed in December 2014. This spin-off left B/E more focused on aircraft interiors and related equipment. B/E’s product development included the Spacewall lavatory, a compact aircraft lavatory design intended to use cabin space more efficiently. In 2012, its ALCI division became the sole source for lavatories on future-build Boeing 737 aircraft, and Delta Air Lines became the launch customer for aircraft deliveries beginning in 2013. The company also produced galley monuments, including equipment for the Airbus A350, as well as ovens, beverage makers, oxygen systems, and interior lighting. The company’s history also included regulatory scrutiny involving oxygen-mask systems. In 2008, the Federal Aviation Administration announced an investigation after reports that some oxygen masks had not deployed or supplied oxygen during an American Airlines flight incident. The issue was associated with flow indicators and affected several Boeing aircraft models; corrective inspections and repairs were addressed through service information and airworthiness directives. In April 2017, Rockwell Collins acquired B/E Aerospace in a transaction valued at approximately $6.4 billion. B/E became part of the enlarged Rockwell Collins organization rather than continuing as an independent public company. Rockwell Collins was subsequently incorporated into Collins Aerospace after United Technologies acquired it, and Collins Aerospace later became part of Raytheon Technologies, now RTX. B/E Aerospace therefore survives primarily through the products, facilities, contracts, and capabilities integrated into the Collins Aerospace aerospace-interiors business.

B/E Aerospace was established in 1987 by Amin Khoury as a supplier serving the aviation industry. Its development followed a combination of organic expansion and repeated acquisitions, with the company building a broad portfolio of products for aircraft cabins and associated aerospace supply chains. From its base in Florida, B/E developed direct sales and customer-support operations serving airlines, aircraft manufacturers, leasing companies, and business-jet operators around the world. A major early expansion came in August 2001, when B/E acquired M&M Aerospace Hardware. The transaction added an aerospace-fasteners distribution business and broadened B/E’s participation in the aircraft aftermarket. In 2005, Air Canada awarded B/E a contract to upgrade seating on 143 aircraft, illustrating the company’s role not only as an original-equipment supplier but also as a provider of cabin refurbishment programs. B/E expanded its distribution capabilities again in 2008 by acquiring Honeywell International’s Consumables Solutions distribution business. The transaction, completed in July of that year, brought a significant aerospace-consumables operation into B/E and was expected by the company to make a substantial contribution to operating earnings. Alongside distribution, B/E continued developing and manufacturing cabin products, including passenger seats, business-jet seats, galleys, lavatories, lighting, ovens, beverage makers, and oxygen systems. The seating business became one of B/E’s most visible activities. Its products were installed by major airlines in North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Australia. The Diamond Business Class Seat was among its prominent commercial offerings. B/E also competed in business-jet seating and supplied interior structures, including galley monuments manufactured by its United Kingdom operation for programs such as the Airbus A350. B/E’s lavatory activities produced another important milestone. In 2012, its ALCI division became the sole source for all future-build lavatories on Boeing 737 aircraft. The Spacewall lavatory was designed to make more efficient use of cabin space and was promoted as a way for airlines to create room for additional passenger seating. Delta Air Lines served as the launch customer, with the first aircraft delivery identified as occurring in September 2013. The company encountered regulatory attention in connection with aircraft oxygen systems. In August 2008, the FAA announced that it would investigate reports that nearly half of the oxygen masks involved in an American Airlines flight event had either failed to deploy or failed to provide oxygen. The issue was connected to defective inline flow indicators in B/E Aerospace oxygen-mask systems installed on several Boeing commercial-aircraft models. B/E had identified a repair earlier, Boeing had issued service information, and subsequent airworthiness directives required inspection and, where necessary, repair within the applicable compliance period. In December 2014, B/E completed the spin-off of its fasteners and consumables business into KLX, Inc. The separation simplified B/E’s strategic focus around aircraft interiors and related systems. KLX later separated its energy-services activities, while its aerospace business was ultimately acquired by Boeing. B/E Aerospace’s independent corporate history ended in April 2017, when Rockwell Collins acquired the company for approximately $6.4 billion. The transaction was structured through a Rockwell Collins merger subsidiary, with B/E becoming a subsidiary of the acquiring company. Rockwell Collins subsequently became part of United Technologies’ Collins Aerospace business in 2018. United Technologies and Raytheon merged in 2020, creating Raytheon Technologies, later renamed RTX. B/E’s operating capabilities and product heritage consequently became part of the Collins Aerospace aerospace-interiors portfolio.

1. 2017Acquisition by Rockwell Collins

   Rockwell Collins acquired B/E Aerospace, ending its independent corporate existence.

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2. 2014KLX spin-off completed

   B/E separated its aerospace fasteners and consumables business into KLX, Inc.

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3. 2013Spacewall launch-customer deliveries

   Delta Air Lines was identified as the launch customer, with first aircraft deliveries beginning in September.

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4. 2012Spacewall lavatory selected for Boeing 737 program

   B/E’s ALCI division became the sole source for future-build Boeing 737 lavatories.

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5. 2008Honeywell consumables business acquired

   B/E completed its acquisition of Honeywell’s Consumables Solutions distribution business.

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6. 2001M&M Aerospace Hardware acquisition

   B/E acquired M&M Aerospace Hardware, expanding its aerospace-fasteners distribution activities.

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7. 1987B/E Aerospace is founded

   Amin Khoury founded B/E Aerospace as an aviation-industry supplier.

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A global, vertically broad supplier of aircraft cabin interiors and equipment, positioned around high-volume airline programs, specialized business-jet interiors, and long-term aftermarket and manufacturer relationships.

• Commercial aircraft passenger seatsAircraft interiors

  B/E Aerospace was a major global supplier of passenger seats for commercial aircraft. Its seating portfolio served airlines across multiple cabin classes and supported both new-aircraft production and refurbishment programs. Customers included major carriers in North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Australia.

• Diamond Business Class SeatPremium aircraft seating

  The Diamond Business Class Seat was one of B/E Aerospace’s most recognizable commercial seating products. It was adopted by a broad group of international airlines and formed part of the company’s effort to supply differentiated premium-cabin products for long-haul and high-value passenger services.

• Spacewall lavatoryAircraft lavatories2012

  Spacewall was a compact aircraft-lavatory design developed to use cabin volume more efficiently. B/E promoted the design as a means of creating additional usable cabin space, potentially allowing airlines to add passenger seats. The product became associated with Boeing 737 future-build aircraft through B/E’s ALCI division.

• Aircraft galley monumentsAircraft cabin structures

  B/E Aerospace manufactured and supplied galley monuments and related cabin structures for commercial aircraft. Its United Kingdom interior-structures operation was associated with galley equipment for the Airbus A350 program, supporting airline food-service and cabin-operations requirements.

• Aircraft cabin equipmentAircraft systems and equipment

  Beyond seats and lavatories, B/E produced beverage makers, ovens, oxygen systems, and interior lighting for commercial aircraft and business jets. These products positioned the company as a broad cabin-equipment supplier rather than a single-product seating manufacturer.

• 2017Sell B/E Aerospace to Rockwell CollinsM&A

  Rockwell Collins sought to expand beyond avionics and connectivity into aircraft interiors and other cabin-related systems.

  What changed. Rockwell Collins acquired B/E Aerospace through a merger involving a newly created acquisition subsidiary.

  Aftermath. B/E ceased to operate as an independent public company and its businesses were incorporated into Rockwell Collins, later Collins Aerospace.

  Transaction value. $6.4 billion (April 2017 acquisition)

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• 2014Spin off fasteners and consumables operations into KLXStrategy

  B/E had developed both an aircraft-interiors platform and a substantial aerospace distribution business through acquisitions.

  What changed. The company completed the separation of its aerospace fasteners and consumables business into KLX, Inc.

  Aftermath. B/E became more concentrated on aircraft interiors and related cabin systems, while KLX operated as a separate company.

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• 2012Introduce Spacewall lavatory for Boeing 737 aircraftProduct launch

  Aircraft manufacturers and airlines sought cabin designs that used limited interior volume more efficiently.

  What changed. B/E’s ALCI division introduced its Spacewall lavatory concept and became the sole source for future-build Boeing 737 lavatories.

  Aftermath. Delta Air Lines became the launch customer, with the first identified aircraft delivery taking place in September 2013.

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• 2008Acquire Honeywell Consumables SolutionsM&A

  B/E sought to expand its aerospace distribution platform beyond aircraft interiors and strengthen its position in consumables supplied to aviation customers.

  What changed. B/E agreed to acquire Honeywell International’s Consumables Solutions distribution business and completed the transaction in July 2008.

  Aftermath. The acquisition broadened B/E’s distribution activities and was expected by the company to make a substantial contribution to operating earnings.

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• 2008FAA inquiry into oxygen-mask deployment and flowControversy

  The FAA announced an investigation after reports that many oxygen masks in an American Airlines flight event did not deploy or did not provide oxygen. The concern was linked to inline flow indicators in B/E Aerospace oxygen-mask systems installed on several Boeing aircraft models. Earlier repair information, Boeing service instructions, and later airworthiness directives addressed inspection and corrective work.

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• 2017Rockwell Collins completes acquisition of B/E Aerospace

  Rockwell Collins acquired B/E Aerospace in a transaction valued at approximately $6.4 billion, ending B/E’s existence as an independent public company.

  M&A
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• 2014B/E Aerospace completes KLX spin-off

  B/E separated its aerospace fasteners and consumables business into KLX, Inc., allowing the remaining company to concentrate more heavily on aircraft interiors and related systems.

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• 2012Spacewall lavatory selected for future-build Boeing 737 aircraft

  B/E Aerospace’s ALCI division became the sole source for lavatories on future-build Boeing 737 aircraft, using the Spacewall design to improve cabin-space utilization.

  Product launchProduct generation
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• 2008B/E Aerospace agrees to acquire Honeywell consumables distribution business

  B/E announced an agreement to purchase Honeywell International’s Consumables Solutions distribution business, broadening its aerospace distribution operations.

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• 2005Air Canada awards B/E Aerospace seat-upgrade contract

  Air Canada awarded B/E Aerospace a contract to upgrade seating across 143 aircraft.

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• 2001B/E Aerospace acquires M&M Aerospace Hardware

  B/E Aerospace acquired aerospace-fasteners distributor M&M Aerospace Hardware in a cash-and-stock transaction.

  M&A
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1. B/E Aerospace