Sharon Green, chief executive at Unical Aviation explains how a recent acquisition and a pioneering blockchain partnership are reshaping the way the company manages aircraft recycling.
On September 5, 2024, Unical Aviation completed the acquisition of ecube Solutions, a specialist in aircraft storage, disassembly and transition services with operations in the UK, Spain and the US.
The move marks a significant expansion of Unical’s reach across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, while combining two complementary capabilities into a single powerhouse for aviation reuse.
Together, Unical and ecube are poised to lead the industry into a new era – delivering first-of-their-kind projects such as A320neo teardowns and reducing time-to-market for critical aircraft parts across the globe.
In parallel, Unical and ecube have partnered with Block Aero Technologies to register their next 100 aircraft recycling projects under the AFRA CAAC programme, using blockchain-powered Registry as a Service.
This cutting-edge approach creates secure digital product passports for every recovered component, offering unprecedented traceability from disassembly through to reuse in active fleets.
Historically, one of the most persistent challenges for the used serviceable materials (USM) sector has been the lack of transparent and verifiable records for aircraft parts.
Without a universally accessible and tamper-proof digital trail, buyers and regulators often faced delays, extra inspections, or even abandoned transactions due to trust concerns.
These inefficiencies not only slow down maintenance schedules but also inflate costs and reduce the resale potential of otherwise valuable components.
Blockchain technology directly addresses these shortcomings. By establishing an immutable, real-time ledger accessible to all stakeholders, it delivers a trusted source of truth for component provenance.
The system also streamlines compliance with Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) requirements, improves operational efficiency and gives customers worldwide instant visibility into part provenance via an open registry portal.
By embedding blockchain into its circular economy strategy, Unical is redefining industry expectations around sustainability, transparency and value recovery.
The integration of secure digital records with physical asset reuse sets a new benchmark for eco-responsible aviation asset management – strengthening customer confidence, enhancing regulatory alignment and reinforcing Unical’s commitment to driving innovation across the aviation lifecycle.
This feature was first published in MRO Management – August/September2025. To read the magazine in full, click here.