Gulfstream Aerospace named Derek Zimmerman as SVP of Enterprise Supply Chain, effective immediately, according to a Jan. 21 press release.
In the newly created role, Zimmerman will oversee procurement, inventory management, logistics, warehousing, repair and overhaul, distribution and spare parts, per the release.
Zimmerman joined Gulfstream in 2011 as VP of product support materials. Zimmerman was later named VP of Gulfstream customer support in 2014 before leading as president of customer support the following year.
Prior to joining Gulfstream, Zimmerman held supply chain roles at Piper Aircraft and Harley-Davidson Motor Company, per his LinkedIn profile.
Gulfstream’s parent company, General Dynamics, has battled supply chain troubles over the last two years, often leading to missed aircraft delivery targets. Last year, for instance, Q3 aircraft deliveries fell short of expectations due to supplier quality escapes and late engine shipments.
To help navigate its supply chain struggles, the aerospace and defense giant brought on board additional inspectors to help with testing as quality escapes “drive both time and cost at Gulfstream,” CEO Phebe Novakovic said on a Jan. 29 earnings call.
“The supply chain is now performing much better to schedule, and even though we continue to be surprised by some quality escapes, the time it takes to identify and fix these faults has significantly improved,” Novakovic told analysts.
