KPMG has awarded DHL Supply Chain a £9.1m (10.6m euro) contract to track and consolidate almost 25 million aircraft parts and their associated trace documents scattered over 100 locations.

KPMG is the administrator for Aero Inventory, which up until November 2009 offered airlines and MROs such as Qantas, All Nippon Airways, Air Canada and Haeco, a service involving buying, storing, leasing and maintaining an inventory of various consumables and expendables for aircraft components such as airframe structures, engines, wheels, brakes, electronics and interiors.

Aero Inventory purchased stocks of components from customer airlines and as part of a unique service offering in the industry, sold them back to the airline at the point in time when they were needed.

The parts are worth some £257m (300m euros) and DHL deal gives KPMG the option of managing Aero Inventory out of administration rather than resorting to a fire sale which is likely to net considerably less cash.