As the aerospace industry navigates supply chain issues and tariff complications, Herber Aircraft Service Inc. – a local aviation manufacturer, distributor and repair station – has managed to stay aloft.

The Hawthorne-based manufacturer has adapted to turbulence for more than 47 years. The privately held company, founded by Bruce Herber in 1978 as a local aircraft hose shop, and has since transformed into a rapid-growth firm run by Bruce’s son, Randy Herber, following Bruce’s death in 2024.

The aviation industry at large supports 9.4 million jobs and $1.8 trillion in economic activity within the U.S. economy, according to the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA).

“We have a significant impact on the U.S. economy,” said Kristie Greco Johnson, senior vice president of government affairs for the NBAA. “The civil aviation industry has had a net positive export trade balance for decades … We are consistently the first- or second-largest export sector. We are a sector with the largest trade balance of any manufacturing sector.”

Those numbers are powered by companies like Herber Aircraft – a link in the supply chain with a unique business model.

“I describe ourselves as a hybrid company,” Herber said. “We have a distribution product line, we buy from manufacturers, then we ship out the completed product. We have $30 million of inventory.”

‘Light assembly work’

The firm also does what Herber calls “light assembly work” through its power management company, Eaton Aerospace Fluid Conveyance. Herber Aircraft also does repairs for wire harnesses, primarily for the commercial airline market.

“We have over 2,000 active customers and they range anywhere from a single pilot that has his Cessna Beechcraft airplane… to a flight school that manages maybe 20 or 30 airplanes, to contracts with Lockheed, Northrop and Bell Helicopter. We deal with Blue Origin and SpaceX and a few industrial non-aerospace applications.”

One of those clients is Fuji Industries Corp., which has offices in Westchester and New York City. Fuji is a specialized trading company that manages supply chains for aviation and aerospace in Japan, working with the primary aircraft manufacturers in that market.

“Building an airplane requires collaboration with multiple companies and countries,” said Ko Butler, president of U.S. operations at Fuji. “Despite the current political climate, I would say globalization is very important for aircraft manufacturing. We play a key role in mitigating supply chain risk, that’s where we fit very well with Herber [Aircraft]. They’re great with customer service and doing business in Japan. Japanese customers have very high expectations for customer service.”

Shifting tariffs

Like many small firms, Herber Aircraft now finds itself caught up in shifting tariffs, supply chain challenges and regulatory uncertainty.

“I think we’re in an interesting time right now,” said Herber. “People were just hesitant to do stuff because they didn’t know how the tariffs would affect them … it’s a lot of unknowns.”

The NBAA noted in a March statement that the lack of clarity on tariffs was already impacting aircraft transactions. Herber said that while the threat of tariffs introduced a level of uncertainty into his sector, the remainder of 2025 appears more optimistic with rising quote activity and orders.

“There’s still a lot of unknowns, but at least in my opinion, things seem to be coming out of that uncertainty,” said Herber.

“Having a moving target in terms of costs and ease of sale in the U.S. market does, does have an effect,” observed Butler. “What you see in the news and whatnot, they’re hiccups.”

Tariffs have also raised questions around the cost of doing business.

“The supply chains in North America have become so integrated in aerospace that it would be very difficult for manufacturers to move to solely U.S.-based suppliers, or solely Canadian suppliers,” said Peter Greenberg, international affairs director for the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, in a statement in association with the NBAA. “There is also a deep well of aerospace skills, particularly in the U.S. and Canada, that allow companies to take advantage of economies of scale. The complexity of this supply chain is really hard to overstate.”

Impact of tariffs on jobs

Johnson said that a big concern is that tariffs could impact well-paying jobs from manufacturing to operations throughout business and commercial aviation. She pointed out that the aviation industry “stands apart” when it comes to other sectors.

“It has an extremely high level of regulation, for good reason,” Johnson said. “We maintain the highest levels of safety and that requires certification established by the Federal Aviation Administration. If you need to create a new part for a new aircraft, the certification process can take several years.

“Aviation relies on a global supply chain, so just about every aircraft has a part or component that is made in another country,” she continued. “Having a regime for the last 45 years that’s maintained a duty-free treatment and having to change from that is disruptive.”

Herber Aircraft has also faced delays with the supply chain issues that began during the pandemic and have not yet subsided.

“We’re still also having a little bit of lag with the Covid issue with the supply chain,” Herber noted. “Lead times are way out there. I think that’s causing people that didn’t order in the first and second quarter to realize they’ve got to order parts because they’re really long lead times.”

Herber’s company has contracts with many of its manufacturers, which precludes his firm from going to competitors when some products run behind. The company combats the problem by stocking more parts to ensure it has enough to satisfy consumer orders.

“It almost seems like whack-a-mole,” said Herber. “Let’s say, as an example, steel is an issue. And then they fix the steel issue. Then, the next day it’s Teflon, so now we have trouble getting Teflon hoses, then it’s titanium. Then other things pop up. It’s all over the board right now.”

Forty-seven years and surviving

Despite setbacks and mounting uncertainty, Herber Aircraft hasn’t lost its footing. Herber said he feels encouraged by how his team has adapted under pressure.

“I think my biggest pride is that we have survived 47 years. Recessions, to the bubble bursting for tech, to 9/11, to 2008. We’ve survived the segmentation strategy amongst our manufacturers. We’ve had to fight against large distribution companies, maybe owned by Boeing or Airbus. We had to fight to prove we were worthy of getting product lines, then we had to come up with the capital to buy the inventory.”

Herber Aircraft’s ability to tailor products and respond quickly to customer needs has become one of its defining strengths.

“Herber (Aircraft) has been agile enough to listen to our special requests and customize what we need, making a Japanese customer satisfied with the product and service,” said Butler. “(Randy’s) blueprint for success is reflected in the customer service and his understanding of inventory control and being able to deal with diverse needs is a strong point for Herber Aircraft.”

And through it all, Herber Aircraft has never undergone a layoff.

“My dad prided himself on that when he was alive and I speak to that to my managers when they make decisions,” Herber said. “There are over 100 employees and families relying on us to make the right decisions.”