Predict, don’t react: How Incora is using AI to bring certainty to global aerospace supply chains
At a time when aerospace demand is outpacing supply, Incora believes the key to restoring balance lies not in warehouses or workshops, but in data. Speaking at MRO Europe, Glenn Puddifoot, Director at Incora, said the company is leveraging artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to help customers and suppliers plan more intelligently, invest more wisely, and navigate a market defined by volatility.
“The show here in London just keeps getting bigger every year,” he remarked. “It reflects an industry that’s buoyant, but also one where demand is still outstripping capacity. That’s the biggest challenge we all face — and really where Incora can step in.”
Using AI and big data to forecast aerospace supply chain demand
As one of the world’s largest independent distributors and supply-chain service providers, Incora sits at the intersection of OEM production and MRO operations.
That position gives it access to a deep reservoir of materials data gathered from decades of supplying the major engine manufacturers. Each bill of materials, build rate and repair cycle feeds into a growing digital model of aerospace demand.
“When we’re talking about OEMs, the forecasting is relatively straightforward: there’s a bill of materials and a build rate,” Puddifoot explained. “But MRO is about history, and what we have at Incora is many years of history supplying those engine manufacturers. Using all that big data with the smart AI tools we have today enables us to predict better, to then be able to send signals to our suppliers, and thereby give certainty to our customers.”
Predictive analytics replacing traditional aerospace inventory models
Puddifoot said traditional approaches to inventory management are no longer sustainable in today’s environment.
“You’ve got two options,” he said. “One is to buy everything, make a significant investment and cover every eventuality, but that’s not sustainable. The other is to use AI tools to predict when to do a deep investment and when to buy less, because demand will be lower. That’s the key. Either way, it’s about giving both the customer and the supplier as much certainty as possible.”
These predictive systems analyse historical consumption patterns and live order data to anticipate where shortages could arise. By sending automated “smart signals” to suppliers, Incora’s platform helps smooth production bottlenecks and optimise stock levels across regions — replacing reactive ordering with proactive insight.
Global MRO logistics powered by Incora’s AI-driven platform
Supporting that intelligence is Incora’s global footprint, spanning facilities in Singapore, China, the United States, the United Kingdom and Europe. The company’s international network allows predictive models to feed directly into logistics decisions, ensuring material availability wherever demand emerges.
“Coupled with big data and accuracy of information is the scalability we have at Incora,” said Puddifoot. “Operating facilities across the world gives us the scale and the ability to deliver product to our customers.”
As aerospace production accelerates towards pre-pandemic levels, Incora’s approach highlights how digital tools can restore confidence to an overstretched supply chain. For Puddifoot, that certainty is now the most valuable product of all.
“It really is about giving the customer and the supplier certainty in an uncertain world,” he concluded. “That’s what drives everything we’re doing.”
