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CPI Aerostructures
CPI Aerostructures, led by CEO Douglas McCrosson, is a publicly traded Tier 1 supplier of structural aircraft assemblies for military and commercial...
CPI Aerostructures
Founded in 1980 and headquartered in Edgewood, New York, CPI Aerostructures operates as a specialty manufacturer rather than a financial sponsor, yet its capital allocation decisions drive industrial outcomes in national security supply chains. The firm's identity is rooted in sheet metal fabrication, machining, and assembly of complex aerostructures, with its common stock traded on the NYSE American under the ticker CVU. CEO Douglas McCrosson has led the company through contract cycles tied to Department of Defense budget priorities and commercial aviation build rates. CPI Aerostructures directs capital into manufacturing tooling, skilled labor, and program execution for fixed-price defense contracts spanning fighter jets, rotorcraft, and transport aircraft. Its revenue base is concentrated in military programs — notably wing components for the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, structural assemblies for the A-10 Thunderbolt II re-winging program, and nacelle components for Gulfstream and HondaJet platforms. Commercial aerospace exposure includes airframe components for Embraer and Boeing subcontracts. The company's deployment model involves multi-year supply agreements rather than portfolio-company equity, with facilities in Edgewood functioning as a single-site industrial asset base. As of its most recent public filings, CPI Aerostructures generated approximately $83 million in annual revenue with a backlog of roughly $490 million in unawarded government and commercial contracts (per SEC filings, 2024). The firm employs a workforce in the hundreds at its Long Island facility and does not maintain additional offices. Adjacent to its core manufacturing operations, CPI has a subsidiary focused on in-flight refueling pod structures and has historically pursued MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) service lines. A dated operational event: August 2024 — CPI announced a new $6.3 million contract for wing components supporting an unnamed US military program (per the firm, August 2024). What separates CPI Aerostructures from its defense-supplier peers is its status as a publicly listed small-cap entity wholly concentrated in aerostructures manufacturing — a niche that subjects the firm to both equity-market scrutiny and Pentagon procurement compliance without the diversification or capital buffers of a conglomerate. This creates a binary operating profile: high program-concentration risk balanced by deeply embedded sole-source or limited-source positions on decades-old military platforms that are costly to re-compete.
General information
Firm type
Asset Manager
Year founded
1980
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Edgewood
Corporate office
Edgewood, NY, United States
Principals
Douglas McCrosson
President and CEO
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
What does CPI Aerostructures manufacture?
CPI Aerostructures produces structural assemblies and components for military and commercial aircraft. Its core products include wing leading edges, engine nacelles, flight control surfaces, and helicopter cabin structures. Major current programs include wing components for the UH-60 Black Hawk, structural kits for the A-10 Thunderbolt II re-winging program, and nacelle parts for Gulfstream G650 business jets (per SEC filings).
Who are CPI Aerostructures' primary customers?
The firm's largest customer is the United States Department of Defense, primarily through direct contracts or subcontracts with prime contractors such as Sikorsky and Northrop Grumman. Commercial aerospace customers include Embraer for wing components on its E-175 jet and Honda Aircraft for engine nacelles on the HA-420 HondaJet. The US government typically represents more than 75% of annual revenue (per public record).
Is CPI Aerostructures a family office or investment firm?
No. CPI Aerostructures is a publicly traded manufacturing company listed on the NYSE American exchange under ticker CVU. It is not a family office, investment vehicle, or private equity platform. The firm generates revenue through the fabrication and assembly of aerospace parts, not through investment management or capital allocation on behalf of a wealth-owning family.
What is CPI Aerostructures' competitive moat in defense manufacturing?
CPI benefits from high barriers to entry in military aerostructures: its contracts are typically sole-source or limited-source due to the high cost of re-qualifying suppliers for flight-critical hardware on fielded aircraft platforms. The A-10 re-winging program, for example, involves a proprietary data package held by the government, and the company has built tooling and engineering knowledge specific to that program over decades. Switching costs and regulatory certification requirements create structural stickiness in its revenue base.
How does CPI Aerostructures' financial profile look?
As of its most recent 10-K filing for fiscal year 2024, CPI reported annual revenue of approximately $83 million with a gross margin around 18-20%. The company carries moderate debt on its balance sheet and holds an authorized contract backlog of roughly $490 million, including both funded orders and unfunded government options. Free cash flow has historically been volatile due to working-capital intensity on fixed-price defense contracts (per SEC filings, 2024).
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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