Air Transport Services Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATSG) today said its subsidiary, Airborne Maintenance and Engineering Services, Inc. (AMES), has acquired PEMCO World Air Services, Inc. (PEMCO), a privately held provider of outsourced heavy maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) aircraft services and passenger-to-freighter aircraft conversions based in Tampa, FL. The company did not assume any PEMCO debt in connection with the acquisition.

This acquisition will allow for a number of strategic benefits through combining operational strengths, expanded capabilities and cost savings related to shared services between the companies. The services of the combined AMES/PEMCO businesses will be marketed worldwide to customers as part of a comprehensive set of ATSG solutions, as well as to the ATSG affiliates.

Services will be offered from multiple locations, including Wilmington and Tampa for heavy maintenance and modifications, and Tampa, Central America and Asia for passenger-to-freighter conversions. Additional service offerings of aircraft-on-ground field teams, line and turnaround maintenance, component repair and overhaul, engineering repair and design, and extensive manufacturing and kitting capabilities, will be extended from various locations.

ATSG President and CEO Joe Hete said, “Based on PEMCO’s existing domestic and international scale, this acquisition will expand access to maintenance service for customers of ATSG’s expanding fleet of Boeing 767 cargo aircraft. It is consistent with our goal to diversify ATSG’s revenue and earnings, for an investment in the same price range as our planned and completed stakes in cargo airlines in China and Europe. The combination of PEMCO’s conversion and MRO sales of both Airbus and Boeing products with AMES’ existing offerings will create a sustained, growth-oriented aircraft maintenance product and services portfolio.”

Hete added that based on ATSG’s current estimates and outlook, the PEMCO acquisition is expected to be accretive to ATSG’s earnings starting in 2017.

Advisers to PEMCO included Canaccord Genuity Inc. as financial adviser and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP as legal adviser. Advisers to ATSG included Vorys, Sater, Seymour & Pease LLP as legal adviser.

Airborne Maintenance and Engineering Services, Inc.

AMES is a one-stop aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) provider operating out of Wilmington, OH, with additional line maintenance operations in Cincinnati, OH, and Miami, FL. AMES holds a Part 145 FAA Repair certificate and provides heavy maintenance, line maintenance, material sales and service, component repair and overhaul, and engineering services to aircraft operators. AMES is a wholly owned subsidiary of Air Transport Services Group. Visit AMES on the web at www.airbornemx.com.

PEMCO World Air Services, Inc.

For its maintenance, repair and overhaul customers, PEMCO provides best-in-class services ranging from light repairs to full heavy maintenance visits. PEMCO holds a Part 145 FAA Repair certificate with multiple supplemental type certificates for passenger-to-freighter and combi models of the 200, 300 and 400 series of Boeing 737 aircraft. PEMCO-converted aircraft make up more than 70 percent of China-based B737-300 and -400 fleets in service. The company has redelivered over 50 B737-300 and B737-400 converted aircraft to Chinese operators since 2006, including the first B737-300F aircraft in China. For cargo conversion customers, PEMCO provides the very best technical solution at sensible economics to ensure operators of PEMCO freighters have sustainable market advantage.

About ATSG

ATSG is a leading provider of aircraft leasing and air cargo transportation and related services to domestic and foreign air carriers and other companies that outsource their air cargo lift requirements. ATSG, through its leasing and airline subsidiaries, is the world's largest owner and operator of converted Boeing 767 freighter aircraft. Through its principal subsidiaries, including two airlines with separate and distinct U.S. FAA Part 121 Air Carrier certificates, ATSG provides aircraft leasing, air cargo lift, aircraft maintenance services and airport ground services. ATSG's subsidiaries include ABX Air, Inc.; Airborne Global Solutions, Inc.; Air Transport International, Inc.; Cargo Aircraft Management, Inc.; and Airborne Maintenance and Engineering Services, Inc. For more information, please see www.atsginc.com.