Life begins at 40!
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As one of the recently named ’40 under 40’ in the Aircraft Maintenance Technology magazine’s annual recognition scheme, one might think that Michael Green has been working in aviation from the start. His nomination is therefore all the more remarkable given that he has only been in the aviation industry for the last two years!
A graduate of both the University of Georgia and the Georgia Institute of Technology, Michael started his career in the coatings industry painting cars in the automotive collision shop where his mother has been the manager for over 30 years. (You could say that AkzoNobel coatings is therefore a bit of a family business for the Greens.)
He moved on to learn the business of paint and coatings distribution working with Single Source Inc, a paint distributor for automotive, industrial and commercial applications. Then he spent two years with Mercedes-Benz USA, both in national accounts and as a collision repair specialist, before joining AkzoNobel in 2019, initially in its vehicle refinishing business.
With AkzoNobel he played a leading role in the launch and roll-out of the Dynacoat brand in North America, working especially closely with one of the largest customers, Advance Auto Parts. One of the biggest accomplishments at that time was in cementing AkzoNobel as Advance Auto Parts’ supplier of choice for its premium customers, and growing business revenues with AAP from a standing start to more than $10m.
Moving to AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings in 2021 as a Global Business Services Manager, Michael has been responsible for developing the concept of Aerofleet Coatings Management as part of a comprehensive range of AkzoNobel Business Solutions. Aerofleet Coatings Management is a new digital, data-driven service that helps airlines and other large operators to tailor and optimize the coatings’ replacement and maintenance schedule for individual aircraft within an airline fleet. Launched at MRO Americas in Atlanta earlier in the year, it’s an initiative that is already being well received, with a global scope that can bring value to some of the largest aerospace companies in the world.
“It’s the joy of the aerospace industry and the work that we do. It’s not about being a paint vendor, it’s really about being a partner.”
Michael admits that making the jump from the automotive industry that he knew so well, into the aerospace sector was a little daunting at first, but he felt compelled to learn new skills and further his professional career. “I have spent the last two years learning about the industry and quite literally getting under its skin, to better understand the issues OEMs and airlines face in managing the ‘life’ of their aerospace coatings,” he explains.
“Launching Aerofleet Coatings Management didn’t happen by chance. It came from listening to our customers and soaking up the knowledge from my peers, who were as determined as I was to find new ways of tackling an established issue. We have the opportunity now with the team to deliver a new standard of excellence in coatings management that should transform future repair and maintenance for our customers.”
And he isn’t stopping with Aerofleet Coatings Management. Michael is presently exploring a new approach to training and development of the current and next generation of painters, harnessing the very latest virtual reality training on site and in the classroom, as part of a much wider ‘Business Services’ offer from the aerospace team.
“It’s the joy of the aerospace industry and the work that we do,” he concludes. “It’s not about being a paint vendor, it’s really about being a partner.”