November 24, 2025 • 34 mins
We sit down with ASAK’s CEO, Arnold Sue, to trace his path from JFK ramp hand to leading a full-service ground handler, and explore how electric GSE, telematics, and a community-first mindset are shaping Terminal 6. From equine cargo engineering to towbarless electric pushbacks, we focus on uptime, safety, and people.
• JFK roots, military discipline, and founding ASAK
• Building maintenance capability on and off airport
• Terminal 7 operations across above and below the wing
• Cargo, e-commerce, and on-airport fumigation
• How equine operations use K loaders and ULD logic
• Why electric GSE and conversion kits made sense
• Telematics for safety, battery status, and utilization
• Recruiting and growing next-gen technicians
• Terminal 6 GSE pooling, access control, and prep
• Community over competition across ground handlers
• Expansion beyond JFK to Latin America and beyond
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Looking for dependable and on demand ground support equipment leasing? Fortbrand is your go to partner. We specialize in tailored operating leases for airlines, cargo carriers, and ground handlers, delivering top tier equipment without the wait. From the latest electric GSE to traditional units, Fortbrand offers flexible terms, competitive rates, and a customer experience that is second to none. Keep your ramp moving with confidence. Visit fortbrand.com and experience GSE leasing redefined.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Matt Weitzel (00:00):
This episode of the GSE Podcast is brought to
you by Fort Brand, not youreveryday GSE provider.
We go beyond belt loaders andbag tractors, offering
towbarless pushbacks, de-icers,and airport maintenance
equipment, all available ondemand across North America and
(00:21):
the UK.
Whether you need electric unitsto support your ESG goals or
traditional equipment fortoday's rant, Fort Brand
delivers flexible leasing withthe option of full-service
maintenance to keep your fleetat peak performance.
When you partner with FortBrand, you get more than
equipment.
You get expertise, reliability,and a commitment to keeping
(00:43):
your operation running smoothly.
Visit Fortbrand.com to learnmore.
This is Patrick Dennison.
This is Jake Klein.
This is Daniel Burtis.
My name is Dean Swabish, andyou're listening to the GSE
podcast.
(01:03):
All right.
Well, welcome to the GSEPodcast.
I am here at Mallaghan'sfacility in Newnan, Georgia.
And I am with ASAK Solutions,Arnold Sue from ASAK Solutions.
Arnold is the CEO andco-founder of ASAK Solutions.
And Arnold, thanks a lot forcoming on the podcast.
(01:26):
Thanks for having me, Matt.
Not a problem, man.
So excited to have you on.
We've known each other forquite a while and just kind of
want to dive into, you know,what ASAK does, how they are a
ground handler out of JFK andkind of how you've kind of grown
this business.
And from what I understand,have a great reputation inside
of our GSE business.
So why don't you kind of kickit off and kind of tell me a
(01:49):
little bit about yourself andhow you what was your road to
co-founding ASAK?
Arnold Sue (01:54):
Well, well, thanks for having me again, Matt.
Appreciate the uh the time.
But yeah, so uh I'm Arnold Sue,CEO, co-founder of ASAK
Solutions, known as ASAKthroughout the industry.
I'm headquartered in JFK.
I'm a JFK native.
So been in JFK this is 18years.
So September actually made 18years for us there, for me,
myself.
Started off at aviation highschool.
So I went to aviation highschool for uh aviation
(02:17):
maintenance, did all five yearsof the program, got my AMP
license, and never used it.
So shortly after I graduatedhigh school, you know, just
excited to be around aircraft.
Following graduation, I joinedthe military, Air Force, or the
Air National Guard, andsimultaneously went to JFK
Airport for my first job.
So uh got the uh first airportID, which I felt like a big
(02:40):
deal, right?
Right out of high school, gotthe first airport ID, and I went
to work for Evergreen.
So I was with Evergreen Eagle.
Um wasn't easy jugglingmilitary and and a and a
civilian job, but uh JFK, youknow, was always there to
support anytime I came back homefrom being deployed, training
trips, etc.
So that's how I ended up in theairport.
So where all were you deployedat?
(03:01):
So uh I was in uh Afghanistan,I was in UAE, and I was in
Qatar.
So I had uh three overseastours.
Wow.
And you and you're still in themilitary?
Yep.
So I'm still in the military.
So also 18 years, so two moreyears to go.
I see the light, it's close tothe end of the tunnel.
That's incredible, man.
So how did the idea for ASAKcome about?
(03:22):
So we're working withEvergreen, we transitioned to uh
some other large groundhandlers.
I transitioned with them asthey uh took over the business
model and uh in the airport.
I was originally working withthe UPS account and a ground
handler came along, replacedEvergreen Eagle, another ground
handler came along and replaced,you know, where we are today.
So I used to actually workprior to Nada.
Matt Weitzel (03:41):
Oh, okay.
And so you just saw an openingfor a ground handling business
based out of JFK?
Arnold Sue (03:49):
Well, no.
So, you know, working side byside with leadership, you know,
close friends that taught me alot into business, truly used my
AP background to make my wayand navigate through the
airport.
Was working on GSE when nothingwas going on with the part-time
work that was at the UPSaccount, painting dollies,
changing casters.
I am a certified welder withthe military.
So I started welding, doing alittle bit of fabrication.
(04:11):
Then I kind of became the TDYguy, went out, set up some
stations, openings, fixingequipment, things like that, all
around the country for thecompany I was working for.
Matt Weitzel (04:21):
That's amazing.
So you can also work on the GSEif you needed to.
Arnold Sue (04:25):
Yeah.
Although never worked on anaircraft, I think the discipline
definitely comes from thatbackground.
You know, if you could if youcan wrench, you can wrench
without a doubt.
Okay.
Matt Weitzel (04:32):
And then your co-founder is Alminko.
Arnold Sue (04:35):
Yeah, so Alminko is the uh co-founder, first turned,
you know, friends, neighborhoodfriends, worked in the airport
together.
He actually came to the UPSaccount and we we just worked
together throughout the time.
Grew a closer bond.
Um, our friendship definitelygrew, obviously, when you work
with someone day in and day out.
And so you started ASAKSolutions in what year with him?
So we we uh we formed thecompany in 2017.
(04:55):
We began filing for our permitand and our privilege permit and
JFK Airport.
We got approved in 2019, rightbefore COVID.
Okay.
Matt Weitzel (05:03):
So you're you're on the airport, and do you have
a maintenance facility on theairport?
Arnold Sue (05:08):
Well, it's yeah, today we have we do have a uh
maintenance area on the airport,man.
We have one off the airport, uhabout a half a mile off the
airport.
So off airport property.
Okay.
And and in those maintenancefacilities you're working on on
GSE?
Yes.
They're both uh both GSEfacilities.
Uh the one off the airportfocused on no non-motorized
painting, welding, any heavymaintenance, you know, engine,
(05:28):
engine swap conversions,anything like that.
On the airport, we're kind ofreactive to our current business
model.
Okay.
What about your ground handlingbusiness?
So uh in 2022, we were awardeda permit, Terminal 7, JFK, us
and another ground handler.
So today we we handle all thewide-body aircraft at that
terminal.
Ground handling on thepassenger side is about 65% of
(05:49):
our business.
So that includes below thewing, above the wing, passenger
service, cabin cleaning, bagroom operation, aircraft fancier
service, everything thatentails turning that aircraft.
That's what we focus on andthat model.
Wow.
So you're full service.
Full service, yeah.
Full service, but GSE has aspecial spot.
Um, of course, you're only assuccessful as the equipment and
labor.
You know, you know, uh,manpower is important in our in
(06:11):
our work.
Matt Weitzel (06:12):
For sure.
And then I didn't know this,but I think I overheard you
saying something today where youall are also in Chicago as
well.
Arnold Sue (06:19):
Is that true?
Yeah, we have some uh we havesome cargo operations that we do
there.
Nothing pertaining to anaircraft, just cargo CFS work.
So we the other 35% of ourbusiness model comprises of
cargo, you know, import, export.
We do some e-commerce work,fumigation.
We're the only on-air portfumigation facility that we know
of, at least on the East Coast.
Um, and I believe it'sthroughout the country.
We also do some niche work withthe ARC at JFK.
(06:42):
We handle their equinetrucking.
So uh they they load out thehorses in the stalls, we drive
the trucks to and from theaircraft.
So we have we have a couple ofinteresting lines of business,
unique for sure.
And I think that's what sets usahead.
I didn't realize that there washorses getting on airplanes.
Yeah, there's tons of horses.
So really last year uh over6,000 horses came in and out of
that building.
(07:02):
Yeah.
Wow, that's incredible.
Matt Weitzel (07:04):
So I'm guess I'm guessing just for the tracks
around the area and things likethat.
Arnold Sue (07:08):
Uh you'd be surprised.
Different, different, you know,breeding.
People just do travel withhorses.
They move horses around byseason.
International travel is huge,but we do support a lot of the
local brokers and the shows thatthey support.
You know, we have the launchesshow that just passed, that was
in Liberty State Park.
And the prior years before theconstruction of Belmont Park, we
used to figure, you know, weused to work with the horse
races there.
So I would say it's it's it's afair amount of horses that
(07:30):
support shows and et cetera, buta lot of it still supports
people moving around horses.
That's all.
Matt Weitzel (07:35):
Yeah.
Yeah.
And I was well, that that'sthat's uh super interesting.
I never thought that'd bebringing up horses on the GSE
podcast, but here we are.
Arnold Sue (07:42):
I'll tell you what, if you looked at a horse
operation and and if you lookedat the behind the building to
see what happens behind thescenes, you know, we're
outfitted with an import andexport quarantine facility.
And and and behind thebuilding, actually, if we didn't
have this kind of background,we have integrated scales and a
static rack, and we put thehorse stall, which is a ULD, and
we put it on top of the of thescale.
(08:02):
And the only way to get it ontop of the scale is by using a K
loader.
So we actually use a Commander30 and a Commander 15.
So who would have thought,right?
Uh it's it's all it all comesfull circle.
Matt Weitzel (08:12):
Wow.
That that is incredible.
I would have, yeah, I wouldhave never guessed that the
equipment's being used for that,but it totally makes it makes a
lot of sense.
Arnold Sue (08:19):
Innovative for sure, right?
You know, you integrate scalesand the legs of a static rack
and use a regular LD7 lock tohold the ULD in place.
It's it's you know, thinkingoutside the box, but it makes
the operation efficient.
Definitely one of a kind.
Uh, we visited facilities thatare similar in other countries.
And uh what we have, I think,is truly unique.
Matt Weitzel (08:36):
Yeah, how'd you even get involved in something
like that?
So in the in the know-how to beable to do that.
Arnold Sue (08:43):
Like we got I got introduced to the gentleman who
owned the arc.
It is a private facility.
Okay.
Um, and I actually sold him asfirst K loader.
So I sold him at firstCommander 15.
We were doing some rehab onused equipment when we first
started ASAK in 2017.
And we got introduced to theperson who owns the ARC, and
that's right when this facilityopened up.
Um and he too started with onetruck, one trailer.
(09:06):
And he came to us and said,Hey, I need a loader, I need a K
loader to get this from mytruck onto the stuff, onto the
uh scale, if you would, or ontohis ramp that puts the import
for the horses.
So we went out, saw theoperation, and you know, for
him, he's looking at it as, youknow, from a real estate
perspective and from a horseperspective, but you know, the
(09:27):
the integral parts of theoperation comes from a ramp
background, you know, it'ssimple.
Put a k loader there.
You know, we get it done, put ak loader.
There you go.
So we started working with himon later on the relationship
grew and it is what it is today.
I mean, it their increase,their volume also increased
significantly at the arc.
That's what we call home.
Today our offices areheadquartered upstairs on their
(09:47):
second floor.
Our warehouse is a part of thebuilding, and we we share a lot
of uh similar, a lot offacilities that we share
together today.
Matt Weitzel (09:56):
Yeah.
Well, that that's awesome.
Thanks for sharing that withme.
And that's a really cool story.
I like that.
I was, you know, we always do aGSE story.
I think that's a pretty goodGSE story, but maybe you'll have
a better one at the end.
But uh, but that was a reallygood one.
So let's talk a little bitabout ground sport equipment.
It is a GSE podcast, after all.
So, uh, how do you alldetermine, you know, what you're
going to buy when it pertainsto ground sport equipment?
(10:19):
I think I know a little bitabout you know what you all do.
And I I know you all leantowards electric.
Is that true?
Arnold Sue (10:24):
Well, today, today that's that's the model now and
for the future.
In the past, a ground handler'smodel comes from being able to
cross-utilize equipment.
This this that's no secretsauce.
That's just basically where theperformer lays.
And I think that in the futureof what we have now, especially
with the Terminal Six, I knowyou're gonna bring it up, but
with the Terminal Six, it's allthe GSE pooling idea that's
coming to play in JFK.
(10:45):
Um, in both of the newterminals, the new Terminal One
and Terminal Six.
So I think that the theperformer is gonna change
greatly for the model of aground handler.
Traditionally, you'd have yourperformer equipment and labor,
and moving forward, it's gonnabe about labor.
Matt Weitzel (11:00):
Yeah.
Yeah, that's true.
Well, I mean, especially withTerminal Six, as you said, you
know, we have a podcast comingout about that.
You're, you know, ASAK is oneof the ground handlers that'll
be involved in that project.
And and as some of ourlisteners know, T6 has been
awarded to Fort Brand, and wewill be providing the equipment.
ASAK will be one of the groundhandlers there, and you'll be
(11:21):
doing the maintenance as wellfor on the equipment.
Is that correct?
Yeah.
Arnold Sue (11:24):
Fort Brand reached out.
We have the facilities, thelabor.
Of course, we have themaintenance technicians and a
vision of what a futuremaintenance technician in the
airport should look like.
Share that mixed with the FortBrand sauce of the innovation um
and expertise.
I think we have outstandingproduct that we offered Terminal
6 and happy to be here for thefuture.
I mean, it's truly what thenext ground handling model will
(11:45):
be and equipment model withoutwithout a fact, without a doubt.
Matt Weitzel (11:48):
Yes, yeah, for sure.
I was just talking to the CEOof JMP and he was saying how how
happy he is with with ASAK.
And I know that Fort Brand isas well.
We're really excited to toexpand our relationship with
ASAK.
So right now with youroperations, I think you're using
a lot of Tiger GSE.
(12:08):
Is that right?
The electric bag tractor.
Arnold Sue (12:11):
Yeah.
Uh when we started the contractin 2022, we sought out and we
we wanted to use infrastructure,it's always an issue.
We all know that.
With knowing what the futureheld for the current terminal we
operate, we went out and wedecided, hey, you know, how can
we start a green initiative?
And we actually launched agreen initiative.
We we went out to the GSE Expoand we said, we're not leaving
the expo without issuing apurchase order.
(12:31):
We we liked what we saw withthe with the Taylor Dunn Wave
product.
We we bought some conversionkits, we bought some brand new
tractors.
To date, we we have a lot ofthem in play right now.
About 90% of our baggagetractors are electric and they
are all WAVE.
Uh and we we like the product.
Um, really, it's a learningcurve, but it does offer a lot
of safety features.
And I think that the operatorscame around to realize it's
(12:54):
really not that bad.
Matt Weitzel (12:55):
Yeah, and so you've been converting MA50s as
well using their the Tigerconversion kits?
Arnold Sue (13:00):
Yeah, we use the MA30, MA50 body uh chassis, and
we retrofit.
It was a simple kit.
When you have the labor that'sthere available to you, it's
it's really not a hard task.
Matt Weitzel (13:10):
So what what went into making these ground support
equipment decisions on who youare going to purchase?
Arnold Sue (13:15):
Reliability and support.
They go hand in hand.
If a company or if an OEM isthere to support you, you you
most likely will lean that wayas a as an end user.
Being able to pick the phone upand call somebody that can have
an answer.
And at the end of the day, youknow, you only you only buy so
much extras and it really itreally affects the performer for
every dollar you spend on anexpense.
The return on investment istruly a relationship.
(13:37):
Be able to pick the phone up,get support when you need it, or
at least have an answer.
You know, 72 hours is ourpolicy to have a piece of
equipment out of service.
And if you don't live by that,you know, you start losing
revenue pretty quick.
Matt Weitzel (13:49):
Yeah, for sure.
And so you brought on PhilBouvet at some point.
What year was that?
Phil came on in 2023.
Arnold Sue (13:57):
Okay.
So he's been there a coupleyears.
Yeah, Phil came on.
So we worked together for along time.
Phil, we we worked with uh pastground handler together.
Phil took a break from theindustry.
We remained friends.
We go down, I visit him down toFlorida and his retired life.
He looked pretty bored.
So I figured I'd go out and getPhil.
So Phil's back, no longergrumpy.
I'm proud to say that.
And I know he's gonna listen tothis and laugh.
(14:18):
But uh yeah, he's back on theteam and his expertise
definitely helping us moveforward to the future.
Matt Weitzel (14:22):
Yeah, for sure.
I mean, that guy knows a tonabout ground support equipment.
He's been doing it almost hisentire career.
So he would he was a greathire, I bet.
Arnold Sue (14:31):
Yeah, and and you know, it's all brand new stuff.
I mean, you can have 35 yearsin this business, uh,
innovation, technology,equipment's changing all around
you.
You know, where we're sittingtoday, everything's changing
around us.
Nothing's the same.
The chassis may be the same,but the operating theory behind
it, the the safety, the safetythat's in that's embedded and
the technology with telematicsnow, it's it's it's a whole new
(14:53):
piece of equipment.
So it may look the same.
Operator can tell us different.
And I think that the customersat the end of the day, when the
passengers in the aircraft havehave they can feel safe when
they're getting the aircraftloaded and departing.
Matt Weitzel (15:04):
Yeah.
So what's gonna end uphappening to the equipment that
you have right now at Terminal7?
Once Terminal 7 closes, andthen now you're you're a T6?
Arnold Sue (15:14):
Well, that's not only the goal for us to be the
premier ground handler atTerminal 6 amongst our peers,
but we we're looking for otheroperations that we want to go
into.
We're in active RFPs at otheroperating terminals at JFK.
Not all the terminals are doinga GSE pooling operation right
now or an electric GSE poolpooling operation, but we're
looking outside the airport.
(15:35):
There's definitely some thingsthat are are are grabbing our
attention uh outside of America,South America, Caribbean
Islands.
We're looking to see how we canrepurpose that equipment, maybe
convert some, but you know,maybe shift to areas that have
some infrastructure problemsthat can't meet the requirements
to charge the equipment.
Matt Weitzel (15:52):
So, where do you see the future of ASAK going?
Is it going to grow outside ofJFK and your Chicago operation
then?
Without a doubt.
Arnold Sue (16:00):
I believe that when uh everyone sees what we have to
display, we're truly preparingourselves the right way for
Terminal Six.
Um and it'll be a showcase.
It'll be a showcase for theworld to see.
USA for sure.
America has to come and seewhat we have going on.
It's making some waves, and Ithink that the rest of the
country will follow.
Major airports for sure thathave concept have congestion and
real estate issues, challengesrather than not issues.
(16:21):
They they'll see what we haveto offer.
Matt Weitzel (16:23):
Yeah, it's fantastic that you know your
ground handlers can be on theforefront of this new initiative
of pooling.
And you will be one of the fewground handlers in the U.S.
that have any kind ofexperience with it.
Arnold Sue (16:34):
Well, I think it's communal.
I think all of the end users,the feedback is valuable.
Of course, we won't be the onlyone.
There's two brand newterminals, both have pooling,
both have electric equipment.
But I think that we have totreat it like community.
Any airport is truly acommunity.
If if we don't, if we look atthe other ground handlers like
the competition, we won'tsurvive this industry.
We have to work together to getthe job done for sure.
Matt Weitzel (16:54):
Yeah.
So what do you think thedifference between ASAK and
other ground handlers are?
Arnold Sue (16:59):
I would say attention to detail.
We really pay attention to whatmatters to the customer.
Being a smaller company and alarge airport gives us the
ability to make those decisionsrather quickly.
If a customer wants somethingspecific, if they have an issue,
if they have a recommendation,you know, it doesn't always have
to be bad.
They have a recommendationthat's that can truly improve
the operation.
We're there to make thatdecision rather quickly versus
(17:20):
larger companies who have to gothrough those loopholes to get a
change.
Yeah.
Matt Weitzel (17:24):
Yeah, for sure.
Arnold Sue (17:25):
What does the future of GSE look like in your
opinion?
Well, I think it starts withthe technicians.
I think that the manufacturersmanufacturers will continue to
kick out these products that areinnovative, smart, great
design.
But if we don't have thetechnicians to to truly follow
up with that manufacturingprocess, I think the future of
GSE is going to kind of it wouldbe nowhere, right?
(17:46):
You you have to havemaintenance done.
So I think we need to look tosee how we can encourage the
younger generations to beinterested in wrenching, turning
a wrench, troubleshooting.
And I think that's more geared,you know, EGSE is more geared
towards the younger crowd wherethey can plug in a laptop, do
some diagnosis along with thehelp and assistance from an OEM,
and they'll be able totroubleshoot and work with the
(18:07):
older generations to say, hey,this is how we can figure out
this problem, right?
You know, the gen sets reallywill change, but everything else
still, you know, still kind ofremains the same, right?
The hydraulics, you still havesome of those traditional
components.
So I don't think you're gonnaphase out the older mechanics
and technicians, but I think,you know, including the younger
generation and what we havetoday, it's definitely gonna be
(18:28):
an asset.
Is it harder and harder to findgood technicians?
Oh, yeah.
You're competing with withairlines for sure.
They have all the addedbenefits.
Pay rates in a big city take,you know, is a big difference.
You have city and municipaljobs.
So it's hard, but you can becreative.
You can look outside of thelocal talent pool to see how I
can find extra find people withtalent or qualifications.
Matt Weitzel (18:50):
What else is going on with the Terminal Six
project?
Like, what are your thoughts onit?
Do you see this as otherairports are going to be heading
towards this, or do you thinkthis is gonna be just a specific
JFK thing?
Like what is your opinion onthat?
Arnold Sue (19:05):
No, I I think throughout throughout my
experience in the industry, I Ithink everyone's talked about
this.
You know, it's spoken aboutbefore.
For sure, West Coast hasthought about it, Dallas, areas
like that.
Large airports definitelythought about they wanted to do
it.
I think the time wasn't rightbecause of technology.
Now, now with telematics, itenables us to move forward with
something like this.
And we can display thatanywhere, right?
(19:26):
I mean, you can put it up onthe screen visiting another
airport and show them what'sgoing on live.
Uh, there's all kinds of 4D,this different platforms that
you can that you can displaywhat's going on in the airfield.
It doesn't have to be livecameras or anything like that.
You know, it's there's a lot ofdata there.
It's how we extract it and whatwe choose to do with that.
Matt Weitzel (19:43):
Yeah, I think telematics is a huge part of
this pooling thing.
Uh, you know, it wouldn't bepossible without it, really,
because you wouldn't know how toutilize that equipment
properly.
Arnold Sue (19:53):
Yeah.
It's very easy to say that it'sgoing to work, but sometimes
you have to add layers of laborto make things like this work.
I think telematics eliminatesthat.
And being able to include thestatus of a battery, status of a
piece of equipment,maintenance, and you be able to
track all of that withtelematics, different OEMs,
being able to tie into eachother.
It's really a home run.
(20:13):
How will ASAK ensure that thisT6 launch is as smooth as
possible?
Well, we have a live lab today,right?
That's the difference.
We're not a brand neworganization with a brand new
company who's doing GSE.
We have a lot of experience.
We have a live lab today totest things out, test the
software out, test the hardwareout, and users can give
feedback.
(20:34):
So I think that's important tocontinue to exercise this
equipment and go through the themovements and the routine use
of it rather than wait until theday the operation starts to see
if it works or not.
Being able to do that today anduntil Terminal 6 opens, every
day that goes by is important.
Matt Weitzel (20:50):
Are your operators excited about all the brand new
electric equipment and brandnew equipment just in general?
Arnold Sue (20:56):
Well, I think it raises an eyebrow, right?
You say certain words to anoperator like safety, their
eyebrow raises up.
It's not that they're not safe,but when they know something's
watching it, it's a differentstory.
It's different when you have anoperations manager or two
walking around, you know, being,let's say, police officers.
But now if everyone'sresponsible for their own
actions with user access, withaccess control rather, I think
(21:17):
it it makes a user interested inwhat's going to what's going to
happen in the future.
Matt Weitzel (21:21):
Will ASAK be doing training with their operators
to help them understand, youknow, how how all this telematic
stuff is going to work and whatactually kind of data you are
going to be pulling and all thatkind of stuff?
Arnold Sue (21:32):
No, I don't think it's necessary.
I think nothing changes withthe operation of the equipment.
You know, and our formaltraining, on our onboarding and
our routine training, thoserules would be applied and
programmed into the telematicsand it's just going to monitor
what they do.
But we're not looking to putanybody's jobs in jeopardy here.
But again, it's to morereinforce safety, reinforce
procedure, and put the standardoperating procedures that you
(21:53):
put in place, you know, and makesure that they're that they're
being followed.
Matt Weitzel (21:57):
Yeah, because you already have all these
procedures already in placetoday.
It's just that now you'll beable to actually like visually
see them like on a dashboard.
Arnold Sue (22:05):
We'll be able to reward the employees who follow
the program, right?
We'll be able to say, hey, youknow, there's an incentive.
This is a good thing.
You know, you are following therules, you're turning the
aircraft safely.
This is what you're this iswhat you get employed for,
right?
This is what we're here to do.
Which right, we're here to makesure that the aircraft goes out
safe and on time.
And I think this is reinforcingthat.
Matt Weitzel (22:21):
That's a great idea to incentivize them, right?
Rather than make it be a badthing, right?
It it's make it a great thing.
Arnold Sue (22:27):
The cop never pulls you over and says you're doing a
good job driving, right?
Uh this is a good time to beable to do that.
This is the reverse psychologyof it.
And if we instill that in ourlabor and our and our manpower,
I don't think anybody will saysomething's wrong with that.
They're really happy.
They'll be happy that theyfinally somebody's seeing what
they're doing every day, payingattention to it.
AI plays a good, you know, bigrole in it as well.
This interior-facing cameras,front-facing cameras, and think
(22:50):
and and those items, you know,all reinforce that.
Matt Weitzel (22:53):
And it'll make those operators, you know, proud
of, you know, proud and theycan tell their friends and their
family, oh, I just got thisincentive because I did, you
know, did my job well.
I I I am good at what I do.
Arnold Sue (23:04):
Yeah.
Something to take home forsure.
You know, that's just makingit, making it public, making
sure that everybody understandsthat people are doing the right
thing, that that the labor forceis doing the right thing.
Matt Weitzel (23:12):
So you kind of growing up at JFK, right?
I mean, kind of your entirecareer started at JFK.
Do you think that's kind ofhelped you with what you just
kind of described to me aboutincentivizing these people?
Like starting from kind of thebottom at JFK, is that is that
kind of what what helped you,you think, be who you are today?
Arnold Sue (23:31):
It certainly helps, without a doubt.
We I understand the operation.
I still exercise my my myskill.
My skill sets sharp.
You know, we go out every day,Al Mingo and I.
We can work in aircraft if wechose to.
We stay, we have all thequalifications.
We still push aircraft, westill tow aircraft, kloader,
tug, belt loader.
We understand what it means tobe an operator.
So, you know, supporting theemployees the way they need to
(23:52):
be, um, supported, making surethey have the right tools
available to them.
It's important to us.
We go out there, we run a pieceof equipment, we find something
wrong with it, we fix it.
But we understand whysomething's wrong with it or
what the operator's conveying tothe maintenance team.
So you're very involved in theday-to-day.
No, I would like to say yes.
Uh it's fun for sure.
I I find myself it's harder toget out there, but when I do, I
(24:14):
enjoy it.
You know, someday it's nice toto put the boots on and put the
vest and go out there and worknext to your employees for sure.
Matt Weitzel (24:20):
Yeah, it's pretty cool that you can you can you've
been in those people's shoes,right?
Arnold Sue (24:24):
Yeah, it's a team, right?
You you know, there's a teammembers at the end of the day.
And I think I could go to abreak room and we could we could
shoot it, you know, we couldhang out and talk about it all
day long and you know, we sharesome of those common stories.
It's like, you know, it's abattle buddy, let's say that,
right?
You go out there and you you'reable to relate.
And I think when when they seethat you can operate a piece of
equipment or work just likethem, I think that's a different
engagement that you have withyour uh employee, a different
(24:46):
relationship for sure.
Matt Weitzel (24:48):
Who gets to push the first aircraft back at T6?
It ain't gonna be me.
It's not gonna I want to bethere for it.
I already I already told Jared,our CEO, I was like, I gotta be
there for day one.
I gotta see this thing.
I gotta see this thing happen.
They're not gonna let me runand operate a pushback, though.
I can guarantee you that.
Arnold Sue (25:05):
No, you know, the equipment's starting to arrive
already.
So we we took delivery of ourfirst two pieces of equipment
for Terminal Six at JFK.
It's it's in it's in ourpossession now.
And as we start the stageequipment that's coming in from
the OEMs, we'll ensure that it'sworking and it's running
properly, charged, you know, allthe access control works, the
telematics work.
And again, that's all part ofbeing prepared, which we're
certainly a little ways awayfrom the project beginning, the
(25:28):
first quarter of next year.
But I would say that Ford Brandwas definitely proactive and uh
receiving the equipment rathersooner than later.
Matt Weitzel (25:34):
Can you already start to see the structure?
I mean, is it already is it farenough along where you can see
where the chargers are and allthat kind of stuff, or are we
not there yet?
Arnold Sue (25:42):
No, so it's hard to get walkthroughs in the area.
It is an active constructionsite.
Okay.
But you know, the building isthe building is sealed for the
first phase.
Uh they're working on interiorfinish.
Work walking the outside of thefield, it's kind of hard.
You know, it's again, it's anactive construction field, but
you know, there's active apronstoday that they have there,
aircraft parked there thatoperate at Terminal 7.
They use it as a remote parkingspot.
(26:03):
So it is pretty cool to say theword T6 actively in everyday
operation.
I hear it all the time, right?
It's pretty crazy to hear theword terminal six, T6 parking,
T6 hardstand.
It's pretty cool.
Matt Weitzel (26:15):
So can you tell us what those two pieces of
equipment were that havearrived?
Arnold Sue (26:19):
Yeah, we received the uh two B950s for electric
from Oskosh.
Wow.
Yeah.
Matt Weitzel (26:25):
So there's only a few of those.
I think there's about uh maybea dozen in the entire world, I
think.
Arnold Sue (26:29):
Well, I took delivery of both.
And I'll tell you what, drivingthem around the parking lot to
get them to where I wanted tostage them.
It was truly interesting.
Not hearing, not hearing theengine.
Yeah, it was interesting forsure.
So that that was an eye-opener,and of course it was a big deal
for us.
I took a lot of pictures ofthat and we'll we'll send some
pictures out for sure to showthat we started the process.
Matt Weitzel (26:48):
Yeah, I got to drive one of the B950s, electric
B950s.
It's so smooth, it's so nice.
And I electric pushbacks to mejust make sense.
Arnold Sue (26:56):
I actually called Christian when I accepted the
second one.
It was on a Sunday, and Icalled and I and I I praise them
for the unit.
Matt Weitzel (27:03):
So yeah, it's it's a real it's a good looking
unit.
And like you said, it's superquiet.
It's it's it's really strangeto be driving a pushback and
there's just there's no noisewhatsoever.
Arnold Sue (27:12):
Yeah, I gotta say, I'm excited to see, I'm excited
to take delivery of all thedifferent OEMs that are coming
in.
Truly unbiased.
I think that OEM's doing agreat job today widening their
thought process as far as designgo.
Um, I think you're gonna see alot of similarities from OEM to
OEM, but I'm definitely excitedto take delivery of everything.
Matt Weitzel (27:30):
Yeah, well, this has been awesome, man.
It's so informative.
Like, do you have a good GSEstory for us?
I mean, it can be about horsesagain if you want.
No, oh good.
I think the horses is over.
I think that I alreadyelaborated upon the hair.
Arnold Sue (27:42):
Are we done with the horses?
Yeah.
No, I I think my I think thebest times that I've had growing
up in the GSC side and GSEsupport was parts for GSE has
always been a has always been apain point.
Getting parts, partsavailability and working in the
East Coast, relativelyeverything's kind of close, uh
especially up in Northeast.
Uh so you know what I would sayit was most interesting having
(28:03):
to drive parts around, right?
Think about that.
If if a station needed a partand you had a part in JFK, the
instant reaction was get in atruck and drive it there, right?
So my boss would always dothat, and he was in he was in
control of the region and hewould that's how he supported
his region.
If they couldn't get a part,the unit wouldn't sit out of
service.
We we'd go get a part from adifferent state or a city and
(28:25):
take it down to the station thatneeded it the most.
And that was important.
Fast forward to today, I thinkthat the commerce world changed
a lot.
When I see a lot more OEMssetting up a platform to support
that that need, where it's kindof like the Amazon experience,
if you would, right?
You need a part, you know,maybe some next day action, you
never know.
That that's important, right?
Being able to support theproduct.
(28:45):
So driving down to Dulles withtires in the back of a pickup
truck to support a pushback thatblew a tire on a Saturday
evening.
Those are stories that youwould never forget, having to do
that, right?
Take a five-hour trip with twopushback tires for a B-1200 or a
GT-110 and the back of a pickuptruck.
Kind of, those are things thatI look at now that I'm, you
know, I have the power to say,okay, let's make sure we have
(29:06):
extras in places if I everexpanded outside of JFK.
And when I do, I think we'll bearmed with the right tools to
do that.
Matt Weitzel (29:12):
So, you know, I we talked a lot about JFK, but I
mean that's where most of yourexperience is.
I bet you've just met, I betyou just have a community of
people that that you've metthroughout the years at that at
JFK.
Is that right?
Arnold Sue (29:26):
Yeah.
Uh it's it's it's a largeairport, but so small.
Uh it's truly a community.
Uh, I never, you know, we talkto people from other airports,
from other countries, even, youknow, and they say we talk about
the airports that we work inthat we call home, and there's
so many community functions.
We have all of these, you know,we have all these organizations
that support the airport.
Port authorities, very, verysupportive of tet of the
(29:47):
stakeholders, engaged every day.
There's community calls.
And I I just don't hear thatcoming from other airports.
The people, just like myself,it's just another uniform.
You know, ASAK is anotheruniform that might that might.
That my troops are putting on.
And I would never tell anyoneto to to not think about it like
that.
So changing, forever changingcompanies, people are buying
(30:08):
other people acquisitions, MA's.
And you know, who knows?
Maybe one day I'll be wearing aFort Brand shirt.
Matt Weitzel (30:14):
Yeah, well, I never really thought that I'd be
wearing a Fort Brand shirt, buthere, but here we are.
Arnold Sue (30:19):
So and it's uh it's it creates a relationship,
right?
Uh you you know, you work nextto someone and they go work for
another company or start acompany and you're still working
in the same import, it givesyou access to support.
You know, you can call somebodyup and say, hey bud, can you
help me out?
I mean, that's how it shouldbe.
It should be treated like acommunity.
Matt Weitzel (30:36):
Yeah.
And I mean, I talk about it allthe time on this podcast about
the GSE community, but it seemslike just hearing you talk
today, you know, we've been kindof hanging out and we did a a
tour of the Mallahan facilityand you've been talking to a
bunch of different folks here.
It seems like you knoweverybody at JFK.
Arnold Sue (30:52):
No, it it's it's pretty receptive, right?
JFK is receptive, but I wouldsay the even the GSE community
is very receptive to ASAK, evenbefore Phil.
They were receptive to ASAK.
Before Phil, they werereceptive to ASAK.
Maybe they hate me now becauseof Phil.
I never know.
But you know, it was uh trulyreceptive.
Uh going to all the shows, theGHI show really turned into a
GSE show.
But it's good to see everyone.
Everybody's out, active,everybody's participating in
(31:15):
events, providing feedback, openforum conversations are
excellent.
I think it provides itshowcases what people are doing
in different areas of theindustry.
Um so being able to be active,you know, I I think I say you'd
be truly blessed.
We worked hard to be where weare today.
We're sponsoring events and andbeing part of a community is is
great.
Matt Weitzel (31:33):
So you'll be heading down, I imagine, to
Panama for the GHI, the 2026GHI.
Arnold Sue (31:39):
Yeah.
Matt Weitzel (31:40):
So that'll be that'll be a big one for you.
You said you're looking toexpand kind of into like that
Latin America region.
Is that is that a show you'relooking forward to?
Yeah.
Arnold Sue (31:50):
Latin America, South America.
And I think a lot of the otherI think a lot of companies who
have older equipment to includeGSE providers, you know, that's
kind of where they're focusingattention to get some of the
older equipment or retrofittedkits out to say, hey, we can
support what you have today.
And I think it's gonna be a goshow for everyone.
I think we'll all get some newcustomer base, and I think I'm
looking forward to lookingforward to a good time.
(32:11):
Have you been to Panama?
Never.
Looking forward to it.
Matt Weitzel (32:14):
Yeah, I went in, I think 2019, they had the GHI
Americas there, and we got to goto the Panama Canal, which I
was very excited about becauseI'd always heard about the
Panama Canal.
Arnold Sue (32:25):
I think Panama needs to be ready.
Yeah, be ready for GSE.
Be ready for GSE and and someground handlers rolling in, be a
good time for sure.
Matt Weitzel (32:32):
Yeah, it's gonna be awesome.
Well, thank you so much forcoming on the podcast.
Is there anything else thatthat you want to cover today?
Do you feel like we've kind ofwe've kind of hit all the major
points, or is there somethingelse you want to put out about
yourself or ASAK?
No.
Arnold Sue (32:43):
All good.
I I just you know, I I I wanteverybody to understand that
it's communal.
It's it's it's a communalapproach when it comes to the
GSE pooling, open mind.
I think it's a communalapproach, and I think we came to
a point now where I thinkeverybody's realizing that
that's real.
Permits are being handed out.
We're exercising equipmentthat's gonna be used in the
future, and it's real.
So just look forward to acommunal, you know, more
(33:04):
communal setting rather than acompetitive one.
Matt Weitzel (33:06):
Yeah, and I think what we'll do is I think we'll
plan another podcast.
And this is what I'm gonna dowith JFK Millennium Partners as
well, is let's do a follow-uppodcast.
You know, maybe June, July,August, something like that, and
kind of talk about thestruggles that you had with this
or how great it's going, orboth, right?
(33:29):
Hopefully it's both, and kindof talk about, you know, do a
recap of how it went.
Arnold Sue (33:33):
I I think that you'll be able to get all of the
ground handlers that areinvolved with both terminals on
a forum like that.
And I think that's we we we'reall friends, you know, all of
the guys, you know, everybody'sfamiliar.
Uh anyone listening to thiswould definitely know the names.
Yeah.
We'll be able to chat, and Ithink it'll be a funny one for
sure.
Matt Weitzel (33:48):
Okay.
That sounds awesome.
Well, thank you so much forcoming on the podcast.
I appreciate it.
Well, thanks for having me.
All right, thanks.
Bye-bye.
Thank you for tuning in to thisepisode of the GSE Podcast.
We hope you found itinformative and engaging.
If this episode resonated withyou, please share it with your
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(34:09):
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(34:30):
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(00:21):
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This is Patrick Dennison.
This is Jake Klein.
This is Daniel Burtis.
My name is Dean Swabish, andyou're listening to the GSE
podcast.
(01:03):
All right.
Well, welcome to the GSEPodcast.
I am here at Mallaghan'sfacility in Newnan, Georgia.
And I am with ASAK Solutions,Arnold Sue from ASAK Solutions.
Arnold is the CEO andco-founder of ASAK Solutions.
And Arnold, thanks a lot forcoming on the podcast.
(01:26):
Thanks for having me, Matt.
Not a problem, man.
So excited to have you on.
We've known each other forquite a while and just kind of
want to dive into, you know,what ASAK does, how they are a
ground handler out of JFK andkind of how you've kind of grown
this business.
And from what I understand,have a great reputation inside
of our GSE business.
So why don't you kind of kickit off and kind of tell me a
(01:49):
little bit about yourself andhow you what was your road to
co-founding ASAK?
Arnold Sue (01:54):
Well, well, thanks for having me again, Matt.
Appreciate the uh the time.
But yeah, so uh I'm Arnold Sue,CEO, co-founder of ASAK
Solutions, known as ASAKthroughout the industry.
I'm headquartered in JFK.
I'm a JFK native.
So been in JFK this is 18years.
So September actually made 18years for us there, for me,
myself.
Started off at aviation highschool.
So I went to aviation highschool for uh aviation
(02:17):
maintenance, did all five yearsof the program, got my AMP
license, and never used it.
So shortly after I graduatedhigh school, you know, just
excited to be around aircraft.
Following graduation, I joinedthe military, Air Force, or the
Air National Guard, andsimultaneously went to JFK
Airport for my first job.
So uh got the uh first airportID, which I felt like a big
(02:40):
deal, right?
Right out of high school, gotthe first airport ID, and I went
to work for Evergreen.
So I was with Evergreen Eagle.
Um wasn't easy jugglingmilitary and and a and a
civilian job, but uh JFK, youknow, was always there to
support anytime I came back homefrom being deployed, training
trips, etc.
So that's how I ended up in theairport.
So where all were you deployedat?
(03:01):
So uh I was in uh Afghanistan,I was in UAE, and I was in
Qatar.
So I had uh three overseastours.
Wow.
And you and you're still in themilitary?
Yep.
So I'm still in the military.
So also 18 years, so two moreyears to go.
I see the light, it's close tothe end of the tunnel.
That's incredible, man.
So how did the idea for ASAKcome about?
(03:22):
So we're working withEvergreen, we transitioned to uh
some other large groundhandlers.
I transitioned with them asthey uh took over the business
model and uh in the airport.
I was originally working withthe UPS account and a ground
handler came along, replacedEvergreen Eagle, another ground
handler came along and replaced,you know, where we are today.
So I used to actually workprior to Nada.
Matt Weitzel (03:41):
Oh, okay.
And so you just saw an openingfor a ground handling business
based out of JFK?
Arnold Sue (03:49):
Well, no.
So, you know, working side byside with leadership, you know,
close friends that taught me alot into business, truly used my
AP background to make my wayand navigate through the
airport.
Was working on GSE when nothingwas going on with the part-time
work that was at the UPSaccount, painting dollies,
changing casters.
I am a certified welder withthe military.
So I started welding, doing alittle bit of fabrication.
(04:11):
Then I kind of became the TDYguy, went out, set up some
stations, openings, fixingequipment, things like that, all
around the country for thecompany I was working for.
Matt Weitzel (04:21):
That's amazing.
So you can also work on the GSEif you needed to.
Arnold Sue (04:25):
Yeah.
Although never worked on anaircraft, I think the discipline
definitely comes from thatbackground.
You know, if you could if youcan wrench, you can wrench
without a doubt.
Okay.
Matt Weitzel (04:32):
And then your co-founder is Alminko.
Arnold Sue (04:35):
Yeah, so Alminko is the uh co-founder, first turned,
you know, friends, neighborhoodfriends, worked in the airport
together.
He actually came to the UPSaccount and we we just worked
together throughout the time.
Grew a closer bond.
Um, our friendship definitelygrew, obviously, when you work
with someone day in and day out.
And so you started ASAKSolutions in what year with him?
So we we uh we formed thecompany in 2017.
(04:55):
We began filing for our permitand and our privilege permit and
JFK Airport.
We got approved in 2019, rightbefore COVID.
Okay.
Matt Weitzel (05:03):
So you're you're on the airport, and do you have
a maintenance facility on theairport?
Arnold Sue (05:08):
Well, it's yeah, today we have we do have a uh
maintenance area on the airport,man.
We have one off the airport, uhabout a half a mile off the
airport.
So off airport property.
Okay.
And and in those maintenancefacilities you're working on on
GSE?
Yes.
They're both uh both GSEfacilities.
Uh the one off the airportfocused on no non-motorized
painting, welding, any heavymaintenance, you know, engine,
(05:28):
engine swap conversions,anything like that.
On the airport, we're kind ofreactive to our current business
model.
Okay.
What about your ground handlingbusiness?
So uh in 2022, we were awardeda permit, Terminal 7, JFK, us
and another ground handler.
So today we we handle all thewide-body aircraft at that
terminal.
Ground handling on thepassenger side is about 65% of
(05:49):
our business.
So that includes below thewing, above the wing, passenger
service, cabin cleaning, bagroom operation, aircraft fancier
service, everything thatentails turning that aircraft.
That's what we focus on andthat model.
Wow.
So you're full service.
Full service, yeah.
Full service, but GSE has aspecial spot.
Um, of course, you're only assuccessful as the equipment and
labor.
You know, you know, uh,manpower is important in our in
(06:11):
our work.
Matt Weitzel (06:12):
For sure.
And then I didn't know this,but I think I overheard you
saying something today where youall are also in Chicago as
well.
Arnold Sue (06:19):
Is that true?
Yeah, we have some uh we havesome cargo operations that we do
there.
Nothing pertaining to anaircraft, just cargo CFS work.
So we the other 35% of ourbusiness model comprises of
cargo, you know, import, export.
We do some e-commerce work,fumigation.
We're the only on-air portfumigation facility that we know
of, at least on the East Coast.
Um, and I believe it'sthroughout the country.
We also do some niche work withthe ARC at JFK.
(06:42):
We handle their equinetrucking.
So uh they they load out thehorses in the stalls, we drive
the trucks to and from theaircraft.
So we have we have a couple ofinteresting lines of business,
unique for sure.
And I think that's what sets usahead.
I didn't realize that there washorses getting on airplanes.
Yeah, there's tons of horses.
So really last year uh over6,000 horses came in and out of
that building.
(07:02):
Yeah.
Wow, that's incredible.
Matt Weitzel (07:04):
So I'm guess I'm guessing just for the tracks
around the area and things likethat.
Arnold Sue (07:08):
Uh you'd be surprised.
Different, different, you know,breeding.
People just do travel withhorses.
They move horses around byseason.
International travel is huge,but we do support a lot of the
local brokers and the shows thatthey support.
You know, we have the launchesshow that just passed, that was
in Liberty State Park.
And the prior years before theconstruction of Belmont Park, we
used to figure, you know, weused to work with the horse
races there.
So I would say it's it's it's afair amount of horses that
(07:30):
support shows and et cetera, buta lot of it still supports
people moving around horses.
That's all.
Matt Weitzel (07:35):
Yeah.
Yeah.
And I was well, that that'sthat's uh super interesting.
I never thought that'd bebringing up horses on the GSE
podcast, but here we are.
Arnold Sue (07:42):
I'll tell you what, if you looked at a horse
operation and and if you lookedat the behind the building to
see what happens behind thescenes, you know, we're
outfitted with an import andexport quarantine facility.
And and and behind thebuilding, actually, if we didn't
have this kind of background,we have integrated scales and a
static rack, and we put thehorse stall, which is a ULD, and
we put it on top of the of thescale.
(08:02):
And the only way to get it ontop of the scale is by using a K
loader.
So we actually use a Commander30 and a Commander 15.
So who would have thought,right?
Uh it's it's all it all comesfull circle.
Matt Weitzel (08:12):
Wow.
That that is incredible.
I would have, yeah, I wouldhave never guessed that the
equipment's being used for that,but it totally makes it makes a
lot of sense.
Arnold Sue (08:19):
Innovative for sure, right?
You know, you integrate scalesand the legs of a static rack
and use a regular LD7 lock tohold the ULD in place.
It's it's you know, thinkingoutside the box, but it makes
the operation efficient.
Definitely one of a kind.
Uh, we visited facilities thatare similar in other countries.
And uh what we have, I think,is truly unique.
Matt Weitzel (08:36):
Yeah, how'd you even get involved in something
like that?
So in the in the know-how to beable to do that.
Arnold Sue (08:43):
Like we got I got introduced to the gentleman who
owned the arc.
It is a private facility.
Okay.
Um, and I actually sold him asfirst K loader.
So I sold him at firstCommander 15.
We were doing some rehab onused equipment when we first
started ASAK in 2017.
And we got introduced to theperson who owns the ARC, and
that's right when this facilityopened up.
Um and he too started with onetruck, one trailer.
(09:06):
And he came to us and said,Hey, I need a loader, I need a K
loader to get this from mytruck onto the stuff, onto the
uh scale, if you would, or ontohis ramp that puts the import
for the horses.
So we went out, saw theoperation, and you know, for
him, he's looking at it as, youknow, from a real estate
perspective and from a horseperspective, but you know, the
(09:27):
the integral parts of theoperation comes from a ramp
background, you know, it'ssimple.
Put a k loader there.
You know, we get it done, put ak loader.
There you go.
So we started working with himon later on the relationship
grew and it is what it is today.
I mean, it their increase,their volume also increased
significantly at the arc.
That's what we call home.
Today our offices areheadquartered upstairs on their
(09:47):
second floor.
Our warehouse is a part of thebuilding, and we we share a lot
of uh similar, a lot offacilities that we share
together today.
Matt Weitzel (09:56):
Yeah.
Well, that that's awesome.
Thanks for sharing that withme.
And that's a really cool story.
I like that.
I was, you know, we always do aGSE story.
I think that's a pretty goodGSE story, but maybe you'll have
a better one at the end.
But uh, but that was a reallygood one.
So let's talk a little bitabout ground sport equipment.
It is a GSE podcast, after all.
So, uh, how do you alldetermine, you know, what you're
going to buy when it pertainsto ground sport equipment?
(10:19):
I think I know a little bitabout you know what you all do.
And I I know you all leantowards electric.
Is that true?
Arnold Sue (10:24):
Well, today, today that's that's the model now and
for the future.
In the past, a ground handler'smodel comes from being able to
cross-utilize equipment.
This this that's no secretsauce.
That's just basically where theperformer lays.
And I think that in the futureof what we have now, especially
with the Terminal Six, I knowyou're gonna bring it up, but
with the Terminal Six, it's allthe GSE pooling idea that's
coming to play in JFK.
(10:45):
Um, in both of the newterminals, the new Terminal One
and Terminal Six.
So I think that the theperformer is gonna change
greatly for the model of aground handler.
Traditionally, you'd have yourperformer equipment and labor,
and moving forward, it's gonnabe about labor.
Matt Weitzel (11:00):
Yeah.
Yeah, that's true.
Well, I mean, especially withTerminal Six, as you said, you
know, we have a podcast comingout about that.
You're, you know, ASAK is oneof the ground handlers that'll
be involved in that project.
And and as some of ourlisteners know, T6 has been
awarded to Fort Brand, and wewill be providing the equipment.
ASAK will be one of the groundhandlers there, and you'll be
(11:21):
doing the maintenance as wellfor on the equipment.
Is that correct?
Yeah.
Arnold Sue (11:24):
Fort Brand reached out.
We have the facilities, thelabor.
Of course, we have themaintenance technicians and a
vision of what a futuremaintenance technician in the
airport should look like.
Share that mixed with the FortBrand sauce of the innovation um
and expertise.
I think we have outstandingproduct that we offered Terminal
6 and happy to be here for thefuture.
I mean, it's truly what thenext ground handling model will
(11:45):
be and equipment model withoutwithout a fact, without a doubt.
Matt Weitzel (11:48):
Yes, yeah, for sure.
I was just talking to the CEOof JMP and he was saying how how
happy he is with with ASAK.
And I know that Fort Brand isas well.
We're really excited to toexpand our relationship with
ASAK.
So right now with youroperations, I think you're using
a lot of Tiger GSE.
(12:08):
Is that right?
The electric bag tractor.
Arnold Sue (12:11):
Yeah.
Uh when we started the contractin 2022, we sought out and we
we wanted to use infrastructure,it's always an issue.
We all know that.
With knowing what the futureheld for the current terminal we
operate, we went out and wedecided, hey, you know, how can
we start a green initiative?
And we actually launched agreen initiative.
We we went out to the GSE Expoand we said, we're not leaving
the expo without issuing apurchase order.
(12:31):
We we liked what we saw withthe with the Taylor Dunn Wave
product.
We we bought some conversionkits, we bought some brand new
tractors.
To date, we we have a lot ofthem in play right now.
About 90% of our baggagetractors are electric and they
are all WAVE.
Uh and we we like the product.
Um, really, it's a learningcurve, but it does offer a lot
of safety features.
And I think that the operatorscame around to realize it's
(12:54):
really not that bad.
Matt Weitzel (12:55):
Yeah, and so you've been converting MA50s as
well using their the Tigerconversion kits?
Arnold Sue (13:00):
Yeah, we use the MA30, MA50 body uh chassis, and
we retrofit.
It was a simple kit.
When you have the labor that'sthere available to you, it's
it's really not a hard task.
Matt Weitzel (13:10):
So what what went into making these ground support
equipment decisions on who youare going to purchase?
Arnold Sue (13:15):
Reliability and support.
They go hand in hand.
If a company or if an OEM isthere to support you, you you
most likely will lean that wayas a as an end user.
Being able to pick the phone upand call somebody that can have
an answer.
And at the end of the day, youknow, you only you only buy so
much extras and it really itreally affects the performer for
every dollar you spend on anexpense.
The return on investment istruly a relationship.
(13:37):
Be able to pick the phone up,get support when you need it, or
at least have an answer.
You know, 72 hours is ourpolicy to have a piece of
equipment out of service.
And if you don't live by that,you know, you start losing
revenue pretty quick.
Matt Weitzel (13:49):
Yeah, for sure.
And so you brought on PhilBouvet at some point.
What year was that?
Phil came on in 2023.
Arnold Sue (13:57):
Okay.
So he's been there a coupleyears.
Yeah, Phil came on.
So we worked together for along time.
Phil, we we worked with uh pastground handler together.
Phil took a break from theindustry.
We remained friends.
We go down, I visit him down toFlorida and his retired life.
He looked pretty bored.
So I figured I'd go out and getPhil.
So Phil's back, no longergrumpy.
I'm proud to say that.
And I know he's gonna listen tothis and laugh.
(14:18):
But uh yeah, he's back on theteam and his expertise
definitely helping us moveforward to the future.
Matt Weitzel (14:22):
Yeah, for sure.
I mean, that guy knows a tonabout ground support equipment.
He's been doing it almost hisentire career.
So he would he was a greathire, I bet.
Arnold Sue (14:31):
Yeah, and and you know, it's all brand new stuff.
I mean, you can have 35 yearsin this business, uh,
innovation, technology,equipment's changing all around
you.
You know, where we're sittingtoday, everything's changing
around us.
Nothing's the same.
The chassis may be the same,but the operating theory behind
it, the the safety, the safetythat's in that's embedded and
the technology with telematicsnow, it's it's it's a whole new
(14:53):
piece of equipment.
So it may look the same.
Operator can tell us different.
And I think that the customersat the end of the day, when the
passengers in the aircraft havehave they can feel safe when
they're getting the aircraftloaded and departing.
Matt Weitzel (15:04):
Yeah.
So what's gonna end uphappening to the equipment that
you have right now at Terminal7?
Once Terminal 7 closes, andthen now you're you're a T6?
Arnold Sue (15:14):
Well, that's not only the goal for us to be the
premier ground handler atTerminal 6 amongst our peers,
but we we're looking for otheroperations that we want to go
into.
We're in active RFPs at otheroperating terminals at JFK.
Not all the terminals are doinga GSE pooling operation right
now or an electric GSE poolpooling operation, but we're
looking outside the airport.
(15:35):
There's definitely some thingsthat are are are grabbing our
attention uh outside of America,South America, Caribbean
Islands.
We're looking to see how we canrepurpose that equipment, maybe
convert some, but you know,maybe shift to areas that have
some infrastructure problemsthat can't meet the requirements
to charge the equipment.
Matt Weitzel (15:52):
So, where do you see the future of ASAK going?
Is it going to grow outside ofJFK and your Chicago operation
then?
Without a doubt.
Arnold Sue (16:00):
I believe that when uh everyone sees what we have to
display, we're truly preparingourselves the right way for
Terminal Six.
Um and it'll be a showcase.
It'll be a showcase for theworld to see.
USA for sure.
America has to come and seewhat we have going on.
It's making some waves, and Ithink that the rest of the
country will follow.
Major airports for sure thathave concept have congestion and
real estate issues, challengesrather than not issues.
(16:21):
They they'll see what we haveto offer.
Matt Weitzel (16:23):
Yeah, it's fantastic that you know your
ground handlers can be on theforefront of this new initiative
of pooling.
And you will be one of the fewground handlers in the U.S.
that have any kind ofexperience with it.
Arnold Sue (16:34):
Well, I think it's communal.
I think all of the end users,the feedback is valuable.
Of course, we won't be the onlyone.
There's two brand newterminals, both have pooling,
both have electric equipment.
But I think that we have totreat it like community.
Any airport is truly acommunity.
If if we don't, if we look atthe other ground handlers like
the competition, we won'tsurvive this industry.
We have to work together to getthe job done for sure.
Matt Weitzel (16:54):
Yeah.
So what do you think thedifference between ASAK and
other ground handlers are?
Arnold Sue (16:59):
I would say attention to detail.
We really pay attention to whatmatters to the customer.
Being a smaller company and alarge airport gives us the
ability to make those decisionsrather quickly.
If a customer wants somethingspecific, if they have an issue,
if they have a recommendation,you know, it doesn't always have
to be bad.
They have a recommendationthat's that can truly improve
the operation.
We're there to make thatdecision rather quickly versus
(17:20):
larger companies who have to gothrough those loopholes to get a
change.
Yeah.
Matt Weitzel (17:24):
Yeah, for sure.
Arnold Sue (17:25):
What does the future of GSE look like in your
opinion?
Well, I think it starts withthe technicians.
I think that the manufacturersmanufacturers will continue to
kick out these products that areinnovative, smart, great
design.
But if we don't have thetechnicians to to truly follow
up with that manufacturingprocess, I think the future of
GSE is going to kind of it wouldbe nowhere, right?
(17:46):
You you have to havemaintenance done.
So I think we need to look tosee how we can encourage the
younger generations to beinterested in wrenching, turning
a wrench, troubleshooting.
And I think that's more geared,you know, EGSE is more geared
towards the younger crowd wherethey can plug in a laptop, do
some diagnosis along with thehelp and assistance from an OEM,
and they'll be able totroubleshoot and work with the
(18:07):
older generations to say, hey,this is how we can figure out
this problem, right?
You know, the gen sets reallywill change, but everything else
still, you know, still kind ofremains the same, right?
The hydraulics, you still havesome of those traditional
components.
So I don't think you're gonnaphase out the older mechanics
and technicians, but I think,you know, including the younger
generation and what we havetoday, it's definitely gonna be
(18:28):
an asset.
Is it harder and harder to findgood technicians?
Oh, yeah.
You're competing with withairlines for sure.
They have all the addedbenefits.
Pay rates in a big city take,you know, is a big difference.
You have city and municipaljobs.
So it's hard, but you can becreative.
You can look outside of thelocal talent pool to see how I
can find extra find people withtalent or qualifications.
Matt Weitzel (18:50):
What else is going on with the Terminal Six
project?
Like, what are your thoughts onit?
Do you see this as otherairports are going to be heading
towards this, or do you thinkthis is gonna be just a specific
JFK thing?
Like what is your opinion onthat?
Arnold Sue (19:05):
No, I I think throughout throughout my
experience in the industry, I Ithink everyone's talked about
this.
You know, it's spoken aboutbefore.
For sure, West Coast hasthought about it, Dallas, areas
like that.
Large airports definitelythought about they wanted to do
it.
I think the time wasn't rightbecause of technology.
Now, now with telematics, itenables us to move forward with
something like this.
And we can display thatanywhere, right?
(19:26):
I mean, you can put it up onthe screen visiting another
airport and show them what'sgoing on live.
Uh, there's all kinds of 4D,this different platforms that
you can that you can displaywhat's going on in the airfield.
It doesn't have to be livecameras or anything like that.
You know, it's there's a lot ofdata there.
It's how we extract it and whatwe choose to do with that.
Matt Weitzel (19:43):
Yeah, I think telematics is a huge part of
this pooling thing.
Uh, you know, it wouldn't bepossible without it, really,
because you wouldn't know how toutilize that equipment
properly.
Arnold Sue (19:53):
Yeah.
It's very easy to say that it'sgoing to work, but sometimes
you have to add layers of laborto make things like this work.
I think telematics eliminatesthat.
And being able to include thestatus of a battery, status of a
piece of equipment,maintenance, and you be able to
track all of that withtelematics, different OEMs,
being able to tie into eachother.
It's really a home run.
(20:13):
How will ASAK ensure that thisT6 launch is as smooth as
possible?
Well, we have a live lab today,right?
That's the difference.
We're not a brand neworganization with a brand new
company who's doing GSE.
We have a lot of experience.
We have a live lab today totest things out, test the
software out, test the hardwareout, and users can give
feedback.
(20:34):
So I think that's important tocontinue to exercise this
equipment and go through the themovements and the routine use
of it rather than wait until theday the operation starts to see
if it works or not.
Being able to do that today anduntil Terminal 6 opens, every
day that goes by is important.
Matt Weitzel (20:50):
Are your operators excited about all the brand new
electric equipment and brandnew equipment just in general?
Arnold Sue (20:56):
Well, I think it raises an eyebrow, right?
You say certain words to anoperator like safety, their
eyebrow raises up.
It's not that they're not safe,but when they know something's
watching it, it's a differentstory.
It's different when you have anoperations manager or two
walking around, you know, being,let's say, police officers.
But now if everyone'sresponsible for their own
actions with user access, withaccess control rather, I think
(21:17):
it it makes a user interested inwhat's going to what's going to
happen in the future.
Matt Weitzel (21:21):
Will ASAK be doing training with their operators
to help them understand, youknow, how how all this telematic
stuff is going to work and whatactually kind of data you are
going to be pulling and all thatkind of stuff?
Arnold Sue (21:32):
No, I don't think it's necessary.
I think nothing changes withthe operation of the equipment.
You know, and our formaltraining, on our onboarding and
our routine training, thoserules would be applied and
programmed into the telematicsand it's just going to monitor
what they do.
But we're not looking to putanybody's jobs in jeopardy here.
But again, it's to morereinforce safety, reinforce
procedure, and put the standardoperating procedures that you
(21:53):
put in place, you know, and makesure that they're that they're
being followed.
Matt Weitzel (21:57):
Yeah, because you already have all these
procedures already in placetoday.
It's just that now you'll beable to actually like visually
see them like on a dashboard.
Arnold Sue (22:05):
We'll be able to reward the employees who follow
the program, right?
We'll be able to say, hey, youknow, there's an incentive.
This is a good thing.
You know, you are following therules, you're turning the
aircraft safely.
This is what you're this iswhat you get employed for,
right?
This is what we're here to do.
Which right, we're here to makesure that the aircraft goes out
safe and on time.
And I think this is reinforcingthat.
Matt Weitzel (22:21):
That's a great idea to incentivize them, right?
Rather than make it be a badthing, right?
It it's make it a great thing.
Arnold Sue (22:27):
The cop never pulls you over and says you're doing a
good job driving, right?
Uh this is a good time to beable to do that.
This is the reverse psychologyof it.
And if we instill that in ourlabor and our and our manpower,
I don't think anybody will saysomething's wrong with that.
They're really happy.
They'll be happy that theyfinally somebody's seeing what
they're doing every day, payingattention to it.
AI plays a good, you know, bigrole in it as well.
This interior-facing cameras,front-facing cameras, and think
(22:50):
and and those items, you know,all reinforce that.
Matt Weitzel (22:53):
And it'll make those operators, you know, proud
of, you know, proud and theycan tell their friends and their
family, oh, I just got thisincentive because I did, you
know, did my job well.
I I I am good at what I do.
Arnold Sue (23:04):
Yeah.
Something to take home forsure.
You know, that's just makingit, making it public, making
sure that everybody understandsthat people are doing the right
thing, that that the labor forceis doing the right thing.
Matt Weitzel (23:12):
So you kind of growing up at JFK, right?
I mean, kind of your entirecareer started at JFK.
Do you think that's kind ofhelped you with what you just
kind of described to me aboutincentivizing these people?
Like starting from kind of thebottom at JFK, is that is that
kind of what what helped you,you think, be who you are today?
Arnold Sue (23:31):
It certainly helps, without a doubt.
We I understand the operation.
I still exercise my my myskill.
My skill sets sharp.
You know, we go out every day,Al Mingo and I.
We can work in aircraft if wechose to.
We stay, we have all thequalifications.
We still push aircraft, westill tow aircraft, kloader,
tug, belt loader.
We understand what it means tobe an operator.
So, you know, supporting theemployees the way they need to
(23:52):
be, um, supported, making surethey have the right tools
available to them.
It's important to us.
We go out there, we run a pieceof equipment, we find something
wrong with it, we fix it.
But we understand whysomething's wrong with it or
what the operator's conveying tothe maintenance team.
So you're very involved in theday-to-day.
No, I would like to say yes.
Uh it's fun for sure.
I I find myself it's harder toget out there, but when I do, I
(24:14):
enjoy it.
You know, someday it's nice toto put the boots on and put the
vest and go out there and worknext to your employees for sure.
Matt Weitzel (24:20):
Yeah, it's pretty cool that you can you can you've
been in those people's shoes,right?
Arnold Sue (24:24):
Yeah, it's a team, right?
You you know, there's a teammembers at the end of the day.
And I think I could go to abreak room and we could we could
shoot it, you know, we couldhang out and talk about it all
day long and you know, we sharesome of those common stories.
It's like, you know, it's abattle buddy, let's say that,
right?
You go out there and you you'reable to relate.
And I think when when they seethat you can operate a piece of
equipment or work just likethem, I think that's a different
engagement that you have withyour uh employee, a different
(24:46):
relationship for sure.
Matt Weitzel (24:48):
Who gets to push the first aircraft back at T6?
It ain't gonna be me.
It's not gonna I want to bethere for it.
I already I already told Jared,our CEO, I was like, I gotta be
there for day one.
I gotta see this thing.
I gotta see this thing happen.
They're not gonna let me runand operate a pushback, though.
I can guarantee you that.
Arnold Sue (25:05):
No, you know, the equipment's starting to arrive
already.
So we we took delivery of ourfirst two pieces of equipment
for Terminal Six at JFK.
It's it's in it's in ourpossession now.
And as we start the stageequipment that's coming in from
the OEMs, we'll ensure that it'sworking and it's running
properly, charged, you know, allthe access control works, the
telematics work.
And again, that's all part ofbeing prepared, which we're
certainly a little ways awayfrom the project beginning, the
(25:28):
first quarter of next year.
But I would say that Ford Brandwas definitely proactive and uh
receiving the equipment rathersooner than later.
Matt Weitzel (25:34):
Can you already start to see the structure?
I mean, is it already is it farenough along where you can see
where the chargers are and allthat kind of stuff, or are we
not there yet?
Arnold Sue (25:42):
No, so it's hard to get walkthroughs in the area.
It is an active constructionsite.
Okay.
But you know, the building isthe building is sealed for the
first phase.
Uh they're working on interiorfinish.
Work walking the outside of thefield, it's kind of hard.
You know, it's again, it's anactive construction field, but
you know, there's active apronstoday that they have there,
aircraft parked there thatoperate at Terminal 7.
They use it as a remote parkingspot.
(26:03):
So it is pretty cool to say theword T6 actively in everyday
operation.
I hear it all the time, right?
It's pretty crazy to hear theword terminal six, T6 parking,
T6 hardstand.
It's pretty cool.
Matt Weitzel (26:15):
So can you tell us what those two pieces of
equipment were that havearrived?
Arnold Sue (26:19):
Yeah, we received the uh two B950s for electric
from Oskosh.
Wow.
Yeah.
Matt Weitzel (26:25):
So there's only a few of those.
I think there's about uh maybea dozen in the entire world, I
think.
Arnold Sue (26:29):
Well, I took delivery of both.
And I'll tell you what, drivingthem around the parking lot to
get them to where I wanted tostage them.
It was truly interesting.
Not hearing, not hearing theengine.
Yeah, it was interesting forsure.
So that that was an eye-opener,and of course it was a big deal
for us.
I took a lot of pictures ofthat and we'll we'll send some
pictures out for sure to showthat we started the process.
Matt Weitzel (26:48):
Yeah, I got to drive one of the B950s, electric
B950s.
It's so smooth, it's so nice.
And I electric pushbacks to mejust make sense.
Arnold Sue (26:56):
I actually called Christian when I accepted the
second one.
It was on a Sunday, and Icalled and I and I I praise them
for the unit.
Matt Weitzel (27:03):
So yeah, it's it's a real it's a good looking
unit.
And like you said, it's superquiet.
It's it's it's really strangeto be driving a pushback and
there's just there's no noisewhatsoever.
Arnold Sue (27:12):
Yeah, I gotta say, I'm excited to see, I'm excited
to take delivery of all thedifferent OEMs that are coming
in.
Truly unbiased.
I think that OEM's doing agreat job today widening their
thought process as far as designgo.
Um, I think you're gonna see alot of similarities from OEM to
OEM, but I'm definitely excitedto take delivery of everything.
Matt Weitzel (27:30):
Yeah, well, this has been awesome, man.
It's so informative.
Like, do you have a good GSEstory for us?
I mean, it can be about horsesagain if you want.
No, oh good.
I think the horses is over.
I think that I alreadyelaborated upon the hair.
Arnold Sue (27:42):
Are we done with the horses?
Yeah.
No, I I think my I think thebest times that I've had growing
up in the GSC side and GSEsupport was parts for GSE has
always been a has always been apain point.
Getting parts, partsavailability and working in the
East Coast, relativelyeverything's kind of close, uh
especially up in Northeast.
Uh so you know what I would sayit was most interesting having
(28:03):
to drive parts around, right?
Think about that.
If if a station needed a partand you had a part in JFK, the
instant reaction was get in atruck and drive it there, right?
So my boss would always dothat, and he was in he was in
control of the region and hewould that's how he supported
his region.
If they couldn't get a part,the unit wouldn't sit out of
service.
We we'd go get a part from adifferent state or a city and
(28:25):
take it down to the station thatneeded it the most.
And that was important.
Fast forward to today, I thinkthat the commerce world changed
a lot.
When I see a lot more OEMssetting up a platform to support
that that need, where it's kindof like the Amazon experience,
if you would, right?
You need a part, you know,maybe some next day action, you
never know.
That that's important, right?
Being able to support theproduct.
(28:45):
So driving down to Dulles withtires in the back of a pickup
truck to support a pushback thatblew a tire on a Saturday
evening.
Those are stories that youwould never forget, having to do
that, right?
Take a five-hour trip with twopushback tires for a B-1200 or a
GT-110 and the back of a pickuptruck.
Kind of, those are things thatI look at now that I'm, you
know, I have the power to say,okay, let's make sure we have
(29:06):
extras in places if I everexpanded outside of JFK.
And when I do, I think we'll bearmed with the right tools to
do that.
Matt Weitzel (29:12):
So, you know, I we talked a lot about JFK, but I
mean that's where most of yourexperience is.
I bet you've just met, I betyou just have a community of
people that that you've metthroughout the years at that at
JFK.
Is that right?
Arnold Sue (29:26):
Yeah.
Uh it's it's it's a largeairport, but so small.
Uh it's truly a community.
Uh, I never, you know, we talkto people from other airports,
from other countries, even, youknow, and they say we talk about
the airports that we work inthat we call home, and there's
so many community functions.
We have all of these, you know,we have all these organizations
that support the airport.
Port authorities, very, verysupportive of tet of the
(29:47):
stakeholders, engaged every day.
There's community calls.
And I I just don't hear thatcoming from other airports.
The people, just like myself,it's just another uniform.
You know, ASAK is anotheruniform that might that might.
That my troops are putting on.
And I would never tell anyoneto to to not think about it like
that.
So changing, forever changingcompanies, people are buying
(30:08):
other people acquisitions, MA's.
And you know, who knows?
Maybe one day I'll be wearing aFort Brand shirt.
Matt Weitzel (30:14):
Yeah, well, I never really thought that I'd be
wearing a Fort Brand shirt, buthere, but here we are.
Arnold Sue (30:19):
So and it's uh it's it creates a relationship,
right?
Uh you you know, you work nextto someone and they go work for
another company or start acompany and you're still working
in the same import, it givesyou access to support.
You know, you can call somebodyup and say, hey bud, can you
help me out?
I mean, that's how it shouldbe.
It should be treated like acommunity.
Matt Weitzel (30:36):
Yeah.
And I mean, I talk about it allthe time on this podcast about
the GSE community, but it seemslike just hearing you talk
today, you know, we've been kindof hanging out and we did a a
tour of the Mallahan facilityand you've been talking to a
bunch of different folks here.
It seems like you knoweverybody at JFK.
Arnold Sue (30:52):
No, it it's it's pretty receptive, right?
JFK is receptive, but I wouldsay the even the GSE community
is very receptive to ASAK, evenbefore Phil.
They were receptive to ASAK.
Before Phil, they werereceptive to ASAK.
Maybe they hate me now becauseof Phil.
I never know.
But you know, it was uh trulyreceptive.
Uh going to all the shows, theGHI show really turned into a
GSE show.
But it's good to see everyone.
Everybody's out, active,everybody's participating in
(31:15):
events, providing feedback, openforum conversations are
excellent.
I think it provides itshowcases what people are doing
in different areas of theindustry.
Um so being able to be active,you know, I I think I say you'd
be truly blessed.
We worked hard to be where weare today.
We're sponsoring events and andbeing part of a community is is
great.
Matt Weitzel (31:33):
So you'll be heading down, I imagine, to
Panama for the GHI, the 2026GHI.
Arnold Sue (31:39):
Yeah.
Matt Weitzel (31:40):
So that'll be that'll be a big one for you.
You said you're looking toexpand kind of into like that
Latin America region.
Is that is that a show you'relooking forward to?
Yeah.
Arnold Sue (31:50):
Latin America, South America.
And I think a lot of the otherI think a lot of companies who
have older equipment to includeGSE providers, you know, that's
kind of where they're focusingattention to get some of the
older equipment or retrofittedkits out to say, hey, we can
support what you have today.
And I think it's gonna be a goshow for everyone.
I think we'll all get some newcustomer base, and I think I'm
looking forward to lookingforward to a good time.
(32:11):
Have you been to Panama?
Never.
Looking forward to it.
Matt Weitzel (32:14):
Yeah, I went in, I think 2019, they had the GHI
Americas there, and we got to goto the Panama Canal, which I
was very excited about becauseI'd always heard about the
Panama Canal.
Arnold Sue (32:25):
I think Panama needs to be ready.
Yeah, be ready for GSE.
Be ready for GSE and and someground handlers rolling in, be a
good time for sure.
Matt Weitzel (32:32):
Yeah, it's gonna be awesome.
Well, thank you so much forcoming on the podcast.
Is there anything else thatthat you want to cover today?
Do you feel like we've kind ofwe've kind of hit all the major
points, or is there somethingelse you want to put out about
yourself or ASAK?
No.
Arnold Sue (32:43):
All good.
I I just you know, I I I wanteverybody to understand that
it's communal.
It's it's it's a communalapproach when it comes to the
GSE pooling, open mind.
I think it's a communalapproach, and I think we came to
a point now where I thinkeverybody's realizing that
that's real.
Permits are being handed out.
We're exercising equipmentthat's gonna be used in the
future, and it's real.
So just look forward to acommunal, you know, more
(33:04):
communal setting rather than acompetitive one.
Matt Weitzel (33:06):
Yeah, and I think what we'll do is I think we'll
plan another podcast.
And this is what I'm gonna dowith JFK Millennium Partners as
well, is let's do a follow-uppodcast.
You know, maybe June, July,August, something like that, and
kind of talk about thestruggles that you had with this
or how great it's going, orboth, right?
(33:29):
Hopefully it's both, and kindof talk about, you know, do a
recap of how it went.
Arnold Sue (33:33):
I I think that you'll be able to get all of the
ground handlers that areinvolved with both terminals on
a forum like that.
And I think that's we we we'reall friends, you know, all of
the guys, you know, everybody'sfamiliar.
Uh anyone listening to thiswould definitely know the names.
Yeah.
We'll be able to chat, and Ithink it'll be a funny one for
sure.
Matt Weitzel (33:48):
Okay.
That sounds awesome.
Well, thank you so much forcoming on the podcast.
I appreciate it.
Well, thanks for having me.
All right, thanks.
Bye-bye.
Thank you for tuning in to thisepisode of the GSE Podcast.
We hope you found itinformative and engaging.
If this episode resonated withyou, please share it with your
colleagues and peers in theground support equipment
(34:09):
community.
Your support is invaluable tous.
We'd appreciate it if you couldtake a moment to rate and
review our podcast.
Your feedback not onlyencourages us, but also helps
expand our reach within the GSEcommunity.
Keep an eye out for moreepisodes as we continue to
explore the dynamic world ofground operations, bring you the
latest trends, insights, andstories from the industry.
(34:30):
Thank you for listening to theGSD Podcast.
Until we meet again, staygrounded and keep pushing
forward.
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