Washington State delegation returns to Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg
Ten Washington companies showcase innovative products and services from engineering, in-flight entertainment and technology solutions to manufacturing, materials and data management systems.
Washington State, the leading global hub for aerospace design, development and manufacturing, is represented by 10 outstanding companies from communities throughout the state at the Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX), April 5-7 in Hamburg, Germany. Many of the companies received export assistance vouchers from the Department of Commerce to help offset the cost of their participation in this specialized global industry event dedicated to the onboard passenger experience.
This is the second year a Commerce-led delegation will display the reasons why Washington State is the preeminent place for airlines and original equipment manufacturers to find a culture of innovation and complete supply chain, with over 132,000 of the most highly-trained workers in the world.
“With over 1350 companies, our aerospace sector spans the full breadth of commercial, military and general aviation. Aircraft interiors is one of the fastest-growing, most exciting market segments in the industry,” said Brian Bonlender, Director of the Washington State Department of Commerce. “In addition to producing 95 percent of all passenger planes built in North America last year, Washington companies are on the leading edge of industry demand for new cabin design, materials and technologies that are redefining comfort and function in the air.”
Among the most talked-about ideas is “SkyDeck,” conceived by Windspeed Technologies, an aerospace engineering and design services firm based in Everett, WA. SkyDeck videos have amassed over 1.5 million views on YouTube and will be featured at the ChooseWashington exhibit at AIX.
First-time exhibitor Tool Gauge, based in Tacoma, WA, will have their own booth (1B56) in the U.S. Pavilion across from the ChooseWashington exhibit.
“Tool Gauge started nearly 50 years ago as a small machine shop and we’ve grown to become a world class supplier of aerospace metals and plastics. We’re grateful for the help and guidance we received from the Washington State Department of Commerce and the U.S. Export Assistance Center in making our first international trade show appearance possible,” said James Lee, Tool Gauge Sales and Marketing Manager.
“The Commerce team and their representatives on the ground in Germany were key in helping us exhibit for the first time last year. We made use of an export voucher and were able to meet with more prospective clients, accomplishing sales in the millions as result of our participation in the Washington State presence at this important international show,” said John Courtright, Director- Programs for Structural Integrity Engineering (SIE) of Mukilteo, WA with company offices in Los Angeles, CA and Madrid, Spain.
“The Hamburg Aircraft Interiors Expo is the single most import inflight entertainment and cabin Wi-Fi event in the industry. With an increasing number of service providers, with more airlines adding wireless entertainment systems and Internet connections, and existing airline service contracts soon to expire, the 2016 AIX event is critical to our success and growth,” said Bruce Jackson, President and Managing Director, Air Informatics, Seattle, WA. “The opportunity provided by the Washington State Department of Commerce to attend this critical event allows Air Informatics to meet key decision makers of the world’s airlines. This places Air Informatics in a position to grow exponentially. Without the support of the department, we would not be able to attend this event.”
A major driver of Washington state’s economy, the powerful aerospace sector touches communities all across the state, with aerospace-related businesses employing people in 35 of 39 counties, Bonlender said.
This year’s “ChooseWashington” delegation to the Aircraft Interiors Expo includes eight companies sharing 26 square meters of exhibit space, one partner company, and one company exhibiting separately. Read about them all in our company directory online, visit us in Hamburg in HallB6/6C90-8.2, and follow us on twitter @WAStateCommerce.
AIM Aerospace, Renton, WA
Air Informatics, Seattle, WA
AMGI, Inc., Bellingham, WA
Avion Partners, Bellevue, WA
Douglass Interior Products, Bellevue, WA
IDEA International, Mukilteo, WA
Structural Integrity Engineering, Mukilteo, WA
Windspeed Technologies, Everett, WA
iJet Technologies, Seattle, WA (not attending)
Tool Gauge, Tacoma, WA (exhibiting separately)