PKL Services, Inc., based in Poway, CA, offers professional support in Aerospace Services and Training and Consulting Services. Founded in 2003 by Mr. Samuel Flores, Jr. (LtCol USMC, Ret.), a disabled veteran with 30 years of experience in Logistics and Supply Chain Management, the company has a rich history.
Starting as a relatively small operation with just a few employees at MCAS Miramar in San Diego, CA, PKL quickly expanded to meet the growing demand for its services. The company began as a socially and economically disadvantaged 8(a) and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business.
It later expanded its operations to provide maintenance and repair services internationally to support the US Marine Corps in Iraq and Afghanistan. Due to this growth and expansion, PKL graduated from the 8(a) program much faster than expected and has continued to experience consistent growth and expansion over its two-decade history.
Dedication to Quality and Professionalism
PKL Services is dedicated to its mission of delivering the highest quality service at the best value for all its customers. The company’s unwavering focus has always been on professionalism and providing top-tier service, a reputation that it has earned throughout the industry. PKL is consistently recognized for its deliverables and the professionalism of its workforce.
One of the company’s strengths lies in its lean and efficient corporate team, which allows them to support a large number of employees across various contracts while keeping overhead costs low. The corporate team boasts an average tenure of 7 years with the company, which contributes to a wealth of knowledge and experience. This enables PKL to make agile and informed decisions without bureaucratic delays. The result is the ability to adapt quickly, pivot strategically, respond promptly, and maintain cost-efficiency. PKL’s commitment to working harder and smarter for each customer and partner ensures the successful delivery of exceptional results.
The company places great emphasis on quality and compliance. PKL’s Quality Management System is certified both under ISO:9001-2015 and, more recently, AS9110:C. These stringent quality procedures and unwavering dedication to compliance ensure that PKL possesses the team, resources, expertise, and personnel necessary to meet its customers’ needs and maintain performance, even in the face of external challenges and circumstances.
Upholding the Highest Standards of Quality and Consistency
PKL Services has implemented ISO 9001 and AS9910:C standards across its entire organization to ensure that employees adhere to established procedures that are both repeatable and measurable in any global setting. This approach allows for the seamless transition of new personnel into any role while upholding the same high standards of professionalism and technical expertise. This consistency serves to benefit PKL’s customers by ensuring that there is no disruption in service.
PKL’s unwavering commitment to these standards is reflected in its consistently high grades on CPARs (customer performance reviews). These grades serve as a testament to customer satisfaction with PKL’s contract performance, highlighting the company’s dedication to maintaining quality and reliability in its service delivery.
Building Trust with Customers and Employees
PKL takes great pride in its commitment to fostering long-term relationships with its customers. Many of their largest contracts are multi-year and have been repeatedly awarded, with two of their most significant customers maintaining relationships for 10 and 15 years. The company’s approach is not merely focused on securing a high volume of quick contracts but on working collaboratively with customers to provide better solutions, identify areas where additional support is needed, and assist in achieving the customers’ internal Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) more effectively. By deeply understanding their customers’ organizations, needs, and personnel, PKL is well-positioned to offer long-term solutions, further building on these relationships to provide consistency and reliability.
PKL also remains proactive in seeking areas of improvement within the industry and for their customers. They readily introduce new technologies and advanced solutions to enhance efficiency while upholding their high standards of performance.
In addition to their customer relationships, PKL places significant importance on their relationships with employees. They recognize that employee performance and success directly reflect on the company. The company is honored to hear from new employees who express their excitement to work with PKL or their happiness when the company secures a contract. These sentiments reflect the trust and reliability that PKL has nurtured in its relationships with both customers and employees.
A Commitment to Excellence, Veterans, and Customer Satisfaction
PKL’s core values revolve around being an elite provider of skilled personnel in the domains of Aerospace Maintenance, Training, and Logistics Services. These values are deeply rooted in a commitment to continual improvement, exceeding customer expectations, and implementing high-quality standards within dynamic environments.
Over the course of more than two decades, PKL has cultivated a culture and organization that actively supports veterans and the government. With nearly 90% of their workforce comprised of veterans, PKL is in a unique position to provide highly skilled mechanics, technicians, and instructors with expertise that is invaluable to the industry. This not only keeps customers satisfied but also allows PKL to secure additional contract awards. The military background of their employees and leadership equips them with a profound understanding of their customers’ environments and effective communication, ensuring that the solutions provided align with military expectations.
The skills and experience acquired by PKL employees during their military service, particularly with specific aircraft, hold immense value for customers. These skills enable employees to deliver the highest level of education and support.
The majority of PKL’s leadership teams on each contract also consist of military veterans. This fosters a consistent and harmonious culture within PKL that recognizes the sacrifices made by employees and maintains positive working relationships with customers. This shared background ensures that everyone speaks the same language and collaborates effectively toward common goals.
Transparency is a core principle at PKL, and the company is dedicated to making its mission statement and values accessible to all employees and customers. PKL’s unwavering commitment is to provide skilled, professional personnel, and the focus is on attracting and hiring the best candidates for their positions. PKL acknowledges that having the right people on their team is the key to their overall success.
A Veteran-Led Team
PKL’s leadership teams are primarily composed of military veterans who maintain strong connections to the military and government. This composition enables PKL to stay well-informed about industry shifts, requirements, and advancements. The company’s business development team actively participates in industry conferences and events, engaging with industry leaders and partners to explore innovative solutions.
PKL places great emphasis on encouraging and rewarding their highly skilled technicians and professionals. These team members are empowered to identify areas where improvements can be made and recommend new solutions to enhance efficiency, accuracy, safety, and readiness. This proactive approach not only fosters a culture of continuous improvement but also ensures that PKL remains at the forefront of delivering top-tier services to its customers.
A Legacy of Stability and Commitment to Excellence
PKL is deeply committed to its core ethos, and this commitment is exemplified by the remarkable stability of its executive team over the past two decades. Since the company’s inception, there have been only four significant shifts within the executive team. The founder of the company, Sam Flores, Jr., continues to own the company. Furthermore, all of PKL’s Directors have remained with the company for at least eight years.
This longevity and unwavering commitment of key personnel within PKL ensure that the company’s culture and ethos remain robust and consistent. This steadfastness holds true even as PKL navigates and adapts to new environments, secures new contracts, responds to shifting global conditions, and adjusts to evolving government requirements. The continuity of leadership and values is a testament to PKL’s dedication to providing top-quality service and maintaining strong relationships with customers and employees.
Leading the Way in Technology-Driven Training Solutions
PKL has made substantial strides in embracing technology and adaptive training solutions to support its teams and customers. The company has successfully transitioned to becoming a predominantly paperless organization, creating the infrastructure for its corporate team to work remotely from virtually anywhere in the world. This strategic move has increased PKL’s flexibility and cost-efficiency.
Also, PKL has invested in and provided innovative technologies as solutions to its customers. One notable offering is the trademarked training system, OmniSpec®. This comprehensive training system can be tailored to each customer’s specific needs, combining various educational approaches, including traditional classroom settings, computer-based systems, augmented reality (AR) environments, virtual reality (VR) labs, and Assisted Live Display Technology (ALDT). OmniSpec® fosters interactive, collaborative, and supportive training experiences. Importantly, it enables customers to receive training without the need to take aircraft or equipment out of operation. The system is accessible 24/7 from any location in a fully networked environment, ensuring uninterrupted training.
In addition to OmniSpec®, PKL also offers train-the-trainer courses to empower senior-level technicians to provide instruction to less experienced personnel in the field. The company actively encourages its veteran employees to mentor and provide on-the-job training to uniformed military members with whom they collaborate. This approach not only enhances the customers’ self-sufficiency but also contributes to cost savings and self-reliance, creating pathways to success for PKL’s customers.
Path of Growth and Innovation in the Contracting World
PKL has an ambitious plan for its future, which centers on expanding its contract portfolio. The company intends to achieve this by both enhancing existing contracts and actively seeking out new opportunities. PKL is in the process of pursuing additional contracts, not only in its current regions but also on a global scale, demonstrating its commitment to growth and expansion. The company is also looking to broaden its partner network to create fresh avenues for growth.
Additionally, PKL is dedicated to marketing its innovative training system, OmniSpec®, to a broader range of industries and clients. By doing so, the company aims to leverage its past performance and increase its revenue streams across new areas of operation.
