From Overhaul to Output: How GEM India’s Digital Core with Ramco is Reshaping Engine MRO 

The partnership between Global Engine Maintenance India (GEM India) and Ramco Systems represents a strategic move beyond a simple software upgrade, aiming to create a fully integrated digital core to master the complex “Engine to USM” lifecycle. By implementing Ramco’s comprehensive aviation platform, which unifies everything from maintenance and supply chain to finance on a single system, GEM India seeks to eliminate operational silos, achieve paperless processes, and gain real-time visibility.

This foundational investment is designed to drastically improve efficiency, ensure regulatory compliance, and enforce cost control, ultimately positioning the company to scale seamlessly and compete effectively as it strategically expands into full engine overhaul services in the future.

From Overhaul to Output: How GEM India’s Digital Core with Ramco is Reshaping Engine MRO 

In the high-stakes, precision-driven world of aviation, the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) of jet engines represents the apex of complexity. It’s a realm where a single delayed component can cascade into millions in losses, and where regulatory paperwork is as critical as the torque on a turbine blade. It was in this challenging environment that a strategic partnership was recently forged in Chennai, India—one that signals a significant shift in how MRO providers are leveraging technology not just to operate, but to dominate. 

Global Engine Maintenance India (GEM India), a subsidiary of the globally recognised GEM LLC USA, has selected Ramco Systems’ next-generation Aviation Software to become the digital backbone of its entire operation. This isn’t merely a software purchase; it’s a foundational investment to master the entire “Engine to USM” lifecycle and a calculated gambit to future-proof its expansion into full engine overhaul services. 

But to understand the true magnitude of this deal, we must look beyond the press release and into the intricate dance of people, parts, and processes that define modern engine MRO. 

The GEM India Mandate: More Than Just a Digital Upgrade 

GEM India specializes in the CFM56 engine series, the workhorse powering the ubiquitous Boeing 737 Next Generation and Airbus A320ceo families. With thousands of these engines in service globally, the aftermarket support—from full overhauls to the provisioning of used serviceable material (USM)—is a massive, multi-billion dollar ecosystem. GEM’s decision to implement Ramco stems from a clear-eyed diagnosis of the industry’s persistent pain points. 

James Ranjith Jeyakumar, General Manager of GEM India, didn’t just want a system that could log data. He was seeking a “scalable foundation.” This keyword is crucial. Many MROs operate on a patchwork of legacy systems—one for maintenance, another for inventory, a third for finance. These digital silos create information black holes. A mechanic might not know a critical part is stuck in customs. The finance team might bill for work without real-time data on unexpected repairs discovered during teardown. The result? Delays, cost overruns, and frustrated customers. 

GEM India’s vision is to break these silos with a single, integrated platform. Ramco’s offering, encompassing Engineering & Tech Publications, Maintenance, MRO Contracts, Supply Chain, and Finance, is designed to be that unified source of truth. For an engine shop, this integration is transformative. 

Consider the alternative: An engine arrives. The work scope is defined in one system. The supply chain team, using a different system, orders parts without automatic visibility into the real-time work progress. An engineer discovers a non-routine repair, and the information is relayed via email or paper, leading to delays in sourcing and cost approval. The finance team, again on a separate system, invoices based on a pre-defined estimate, not the dynamic reality of the shop floor. 

Ramco’s platform collapses this chaos into a streamlined workflow. The initial work package configures the supply chain. A non-routine finding instantly updates inventory needs and triggers a revised quote. The entire lifecycle of that engine—from the moment it rolls in on a stand to the moment it’s shipped out—is a single, transparent, digital thread. 

Deconstructing the “Engine to USM” Lifecycle: Where Ramco Adds Bite 

The phrase “digitally manage the Engine to USM cycle” is the core of Ramco’s value proposition. Let’s dissect what this means in practice: 

• The Tear-Down & Assessment: As an engine is disassembled, each part is tracked. With Ramco, a mechanic can scan a part’s serial number using the Ramco Anywhere mobile app. Instantly, the system pulls up its entire history: previous repairs, cycles, times-since-overhaul, and airworthiness directives. This data populates a digital “birth record” for the part, determining its next life—whether it goes for repair, is condemned, or is certified as USM. 

• The Supply Chain Symphony: Engine MRO is a parts-intensive nightmare. A single CFM56 engine has thousands of individual components. Ramco’s Supply Chain Management module does more than just track stock. It uses the work package to pre-emptively “kit” parts for specific engine positions or repair lines. This means a technician doesn’t waste time hunting for a seal or a bolt; a pre-assembled kit with all required parts is waiting. This “kitting” process is a proven method for slashing turnaround times (TAT) and reducing human error. 

• The Financial Reconciliation Maze: In a traditional setup, reconciling the final bill with the initial estimate is a manual accounting headache. Ramco’s integration of Finance & Accounting with operations means that every part used, every hour of labour logged, and every non-routine task approved is automatically captured for billing. This closes the loop on cost control, ensuring GEM India maintains profitability on complex, variable-scope projects. 

Beyond Integration: The Power of Specialised Digital Tools 

While integration is the foundation, Ramco’s specialised tools are the accelerants that drive tangible efficiency. 

• The Engine Visit Hub: Think of this as a mission control center for a single engine. It’s a dedicated digital workspace that aggregates every piece of data related to that specific engine visit: work cards, inspection reports, part statuses, vendor repair orders, and compliance documents. It gives managers a real-time, bird’s-eye view of the engine’s health and progress, enabling proactive decision-making instead of reactive firefighting. 

• Ramco Anywhere Mobile Apps: The promise of a “paperless hangar” has been an industry dream for decades. By putting powerful apps in the hands of mechanics and warehouse staff, Ramco moves this from dream to reality. A mechanic can complete a work card, sign it digitally, and flag an issue with a photo attached—all from the shop floor. A warehouse picker can confirm a kit using a tablet, instantly updating the system. This eliminates transcription errors, reduces walk-time, and creates an instantaneous audit trail. 

• Real-Time Dashboards: Data is only valuable if it’s actionable. Customisable dashboards transform operational data into business intelligence. Management can monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) like TAT per engine, mechanic productivity, inventory turnover, and workshop capacity at a glance. This moves management from hindsight to insight. 

A Strategic Partnership for an Ambitious Future 

Sam Jacob, EVP at Ramco Systems, rightly calls this decision an “endorsement of our product vision.” For Ramco, a successful implementation at a specialist like GEM India serves as a powerful case study for its deep engine MRO capabilities. But the partnership is symbiotic. 

GEM India is not standing still. Its stated goal is to expand into “full engine overhaul services.” This is a significant scaling of operations, requiring even more rigorous quality control, supply chain management, and technical documentation. By implementing Ramco now, GEM is building its digital DNA to match its future physical footprint. They are laying the tracks for the high-speed train of growth, ensuring that when they scale, their systems can scale with them without a painful, disruptive re-implementation down the line. 

The Bigger Picture: What This Means for the Aviation Industry 

The GEM India-Ramco partnership is a microcosm of a larger trend sweeping the aviation MRO industry. After years of reliance on legacy systems, the sector is undergoing a digital awakening. The drivers are clear: intense margin pressure, a shrinking skilled workforce, and an unrelenting demand for faster, more transparent services. 

Providers who cling to paper-based processes and disconnected software will find themselves unable to compete on cost, speed, or reliability. Those, like GEM India, who invest in an integrated, intelligent digital core, are positioning themselves to be the agile, efficient, and trusted partners that airlines will seek out in a competitive market. 

This isn’t just about fixing engines faster. It’s about building a data-driven enterprise where every decision, from the warehouse to the boardroom, is informed, precise, and geared towards sustainable growth. The ceremony in Chennai wasn’t just about signing a contract; it was about lighting a fuse for a quiet revolution in the engine MRO landscape. The future of aviation maintenance will be built on code as much as it is on craftsmanship, and GEM India is ensuring it has the best of both.