Inventory Locator Service, LLC (ILS) is an American company that started the first

e-Marketplace E-commerce (electronic commerce) is the activity of electronically buying or selling of products on online services or over the Internet. E-commerce draws on technologies such as mobile commerce, electronic funds transfer, supply chain managemen ...

for

aviation Aviation includes the activities surrounding mechanical flight and the aircraft industry. ''Aircraft'' includes fixed-wing and rotary-wing types, morphable wings, wing-less lifting bodies, as well as lighter-than-air craft such as hot air ...

, marine, and defense industries. ILS has its headquarters in

Memphis Memphis most commonly refers to: * Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt * Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city Memphis may also refer to: Places United States * Memphis, Alabama * Memphis, Florida * Memphis, Indiana * Memp ...

, Tennessee, United States of America; with relationships globally, especially in North America, through its parent company CAMP Systems, Inc., a subsidiary of Hearst Corporation.ILS. ''About Us''. ILSmart:Aircraft Parts, Helicopter & Defense Parts, Marine Spares (2009): Web. 5 Oct 2009.http://www.ilsmart.com/aboutus Inventory Locator Service was started in May 1979 by John Williams, founder of The Memphis Group, an aircraft parts dealer.Warbelow, Art. "Inventory Locator Service." Harvard Business School. 191.008 (1990): 5. Print. ILS provided a business-to-business marketplace for its subscribers to search among millions of parts and negotiate orders.

History

In 1985, Williams and his four partners became concerned that ILS might be vulnerable to competition and urged selling the company while it was profitable. The other partners agreed to sell and Ryder System, Inc purchased ILS. Ryder was a major player in the aircraft parts and service business, but kept ILS operations separate. In 1988, ILS moved to a new location in Memphis, Tennessee. A switch in business conduct occurred due to the introduction of DOS software to PC users. Its first Windows software followed in 1994."Aviall, Inc.." Company Profile. Hoover's, Inc., 2008. Answers.com 05 Oct. 2009. http://www.answers.com/topic/aviall-incorporated ILS introduced Internet access to its database in 1999-2000. In 2001, ILS was changed from a Tennessee corporation to a Delaware

limited liability company A limited liability company (LLC for short) is the US-specific form of a private limited company. It is a business structure that can combine the pass-through taxation of a partnership or sole proprietorship with the limited liability of a ...

. It was seeing record usage while other dot-coms folded in the collapse of the Internet bubble. It had about 6,000 subscribers at the time, and was succeeding in the face of new competition from start-ups, airlines, and

OEM An original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is generally perceived as a company that produces non-aftermarket parts and equipment that may be marketed by another manufacturer. It is a common industry term recognized and used by many professional or ...

s. On September 16, 2019, Hearst’s Camp Systems International Agrees to Acquire Inventory Locator Service (ILS) from the Boeing Company. The announcement was made by CAMP President and CEO Vibby Gottemukkala. Pending regulatory approval, ILS, headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, will become part of CAMP. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Acquisitions

In 1983, Ryder acquired some aviation companies, including Aviation Sales Co. Inc. and its subsidiary General Hydraulics Corporation, of Florida, an aircraft leasing firm and spare parts firm.Universe, Funding. "Ryder System, Inc.- Company History: 1980 Acquisitions." FundingUniverse.com (2009): 4-5. Web. 7 Oct 2009. . Aviall, an aviation solutions provider, was bought by Ryder in 1985. In 1993, there was a spin-off of Ryder's aviation businesses, including Aviall.Universe, Funding. "Aviation Sales Company – Company History:Key Dates ." FundingUniverse.com (2009): 1-4. Web. 7 Oct 2009. . Aviall, Inc., became incorporated in 1993 as an independent global provider of new aviation parts, supply chain management, and other related value-added services to the aerospace aftermarket. Aviall, Inc. also became the parent company to both Aviall Services, Inc. and ILS.Commercial Credit Report, "Aviall, Incorporated", CreditRiskMonitor.com (2009): 1. Web. 7 Oct 2009. . Later in 2006, Aviall, Inc. was acquired by The Boeing Company.

Services

ILS serves as a data warehouse where information from the

FAA The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...

and other similar organizations is captured. Data captured includes PMA data, Airworthiness Directives,

Maintenance, Repair and Operations The technical meaning of maintenance involves functional checks, servicing, repairing or replacing of necessary devices, equipment, machinery, building infrastructure, and supporting utilities in industrial, business, and residential install ...

(MRO) Services and Unapproved Parts. ILS services clients in the aviation, defense and marine industries with its business-to-business electronic marketplace. Ultimately, ILS offers an electronic marketplace for buying and selling within those industries, and provides aftermarket information on supply, demand, and pricing data.

References

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External links

ILSmart.com Home PageNSN LookupIndustry Eyes Home PageEye On Marine Home PageWebFLISHearst Press ReleaseFEDLOG
Companies based in Memphis, Tennessee Business services companies established in 1979