Mature Quality System Supports Aerospace Manufacturer’s Next Chapter

As Novel Aero navigated a significant ownership transition, the effectiveness of its quality management system took on significance far beyond maintaining an aerospace certification. After the company’s former parent company decided to focus exclusively on its operations in the United Kingdom, Novel Aero faced an uncertain future: the business could either be closed or sold to new ownership.

For Novel Aero’s leadership, years of investment in its QMS had built more than a system for demonstrating compliance. The structure and discipline provided by AS9100D had become part of how the company operated, measured performance, maintained customer relationships, and drove continuous improvement. Its mature quality system had become an important asset as the company considered its future.

As part of maintaining its AS9100D certification, Novel Aero needed to complete its 2025 Internal Quality Audit in preparation for its recertification audit. The company chose to work with CONNSTEP to conduct the IQA.

For more than a decade, Novel Aero has partnered with CONNSTEP for internal quality auditing, along with other consulting and technical assistance. That longstanding relationship has provided Novel Aero with an outside perspective to complement its internal capabilities.

Between May and October 2025, CONNSTEP conducted five in-person internal audits covering the company’s major processes and activities: Leadership, Sales, Purchasing, Manufacturing Operations, and QMS Administration.

CONNSTEP’s auditor evaluated Novel Aero’s processes, identified opportunities for improvement, and provided guidance grounded in expertise with the AS9100D standard and its requirements. The engagement provided a structured, independent review of the systems and practices that had supported Novel Aero for decades.

That independent perspective was especially valuable as Novel Aero prepared for its next chapter, giving the company added confidence in the QMS and operational practices that had become integral to the business.

CONNSTEP’s 2025 AS9100D internal quality audit confirmed the strength of the quality management system Novel Aero had maintained for more than 25 years. Since achieving AS9100 certification in 1999, the company had built a mature, institutionalized approach to quality that supported its operations, continuous improvement, and long-term success.

No nonconformances were identified and just two opportunities for improvement were documented during the IQA. Previous audit findings had also been effectively addressed, reinforcing the effectiveness of Novel Aero’s corrective action and continuous improvement processes.

That strong foundation was further reinforced through the company’s successful AS9100D recertification audit, extending its certification through 2029. Maintaining certification through the ownership transition and sale process provided important evidence that Novel Aero’s QMS remained effective and well maintained.

For Novel Aero, the results demonstrated that its QMS was more than a certification requirement—it was a business asset. The structure, discipline, and processes developed over more than two decades created measurable value. CONNSTEP’s internal auditing program provided independent validation of that value during the ownership transition.

Ultimately, Novel Aero’s long-standing certification, mature QMS, and successful recertification reinforced the strength and sustainability of the business to prospective buyers. The quality systems developed over more than two decades were not simply supporting compliance—they were part of what made the company ready and attractive for sale.