BBA Aviation plc announced today that it will acquire EPIC Aviation LLC, DBA Epic Fuels, a privately-held company with headquarters in Irving, Texas; operations in Salem, Oregon and its subsidiary, QTpod in Boulder, CO. It is anticipated that EPIC Fuels will be a separate operating business within the BBA Aviation portfolio.   

This acquisition of EPIC Fuels, a leader in aviation fuel supply, logistics, transaction processing, and self-service fueling devices, complements BBA Aviation’s FBO Network, Signature Flight Support. The addition of EPIC Fuels will generate opportunities for all BBA Aviation stakeholders, including an extensive network with complementary offerings benefiting its various customers.

Mark Johnstone, BBA Aviation Chief Executive commented “We are pleased to have reached an agreement to acquire EPIC.  This acquisition fully supports the strategic development of Signature through increasing our network relevance, extending the range of fuel and non-fuel services we offer our customers across our unique FBO network and continuing to establish a competitive cost structure through investment in technology and economies of scale.”

“We’re proud to be joining BBA Aviation, a world-class company who is an acknowledged leader in aviation with whom we share aligned values,” said Kevin Cox, EPIC Fuels President.  “Over the past 78 years of continuous operations, EPIC has developed a loyal, diverse, and supportive customer base.  This acquisition will generate significant opportunities for all of our customers who depend upon our team for fuel, services and award-winning fueling devices.”

Although FBOs within the EPIC Fuels network will remain independent and retain their current branding and fuel supply, the combined Signature Flight Support and EPIC Fuels networks will provide expanded choices for business and general aviation customers.  EPIC provides fuel and fuel related services at 205 privately owned, independent FBO locations, 185 of these locations are branded EPIC and 20 are branded UVAir. The addition of EPIC’s 205 FBO locations is complementary to the existing Signature Select® branded locations, establishing a virtual, non-owned, network to operate alongside Signature’s market-leading, owned FBO network. This creates a total network of over 400 FBO locations significantly extending Signature’s network relevance and the range of services it can offer.

The acquisition expands an existing relationship between Signature Flight Support and EPIC Fuels to offer the Epic/Signature Multi Service Aviation Card. More than 529 merchants at 505 airports currently accept the EPIC/Signature Card within the networks; while the card is accepted at over 8,000 locations worldwide through U.S. Bank’s Multi Service Aviation Network. 

QTpod manufactures and distributes self-serve fueling systems, with over 1,600 units already in service, it is poised to expand its footprint in the aviation industry with the recent development of the M4000, a state-of-the art, “Product of the Year” awarded, patent-pending, and cloud-based self-serve fueling terminal which was introduced in the market in June 2017.

The acquisition is subject to certain governmental and regulatory approvals.