Washington State delegation to showcase booming aerospace sector at 2015 Paris Air Show
Washington’s 1,350+ aerospace firms and coveted highly-skilled workforce always draw crowds to ChooseWashington pavilion at aerospace industry’s largest exhibition.
The Washington State Department of Commerce hosted a “bootcamp” in Seattle this week to prepare the 47 members of this year’s state delegation for the International Paris Air Show opening next month in Le Bourget, France. Led by Alex Pietsch, director of the Office of Aerospace, the group includes 12 companies from the state’s massive aerospace supply chain, along with leaders from local government, economic development organizations and the education and workforce training community.
The ChooseWashington delegation will be featured at a 700-square-foot exhibit titled “Washington State: Soaring to New Heights. The Next 100 Years in Aerospace.” Exhibitor companies are Industrial Machine Tool, Inc., Nova Tech Engineering, Orion Industries, Silicon Forest Electronics, Pioneer Human Services, Seacast, Inc., National Precision Bearing, Givon USA/J L Manufacturing, Inc. and Touchbase.
Joining Pietsch and members of Commerce’s international trade and aerospace business development team is Dale Peinecke, Washington State Employment Security Commissioner. Peinecke, a former aerospace executive himself, also participated in the Governor’s trade mission to the Farnborough Air Show in 2014. Developing and maintaining a robust workforce pipeline to fill the increasing demand for highly-skilled and experienced aerospace and advanced manufacturing workers is a paramount concern for Washington state leaders.
“Boeing and its suppliers have led a five-year surge in aerospace expansion investments in Washington State that will top $6 Billion,” said Pietsch. “Dozens of companies around the world are eager to serve the 777X and 737MAX programs, as well as emerging growth in space, UAVs and other segments of our aerospace industry.”
Also signed on to the 2015 International Paris Air Show delegation are: architecture and engineering firm BRPH; 3DX Industries; Paine Field; Chung, Malhas & Mantel, PLLC; the University of Washington William E. Boeing Department of Astronautics and Aeronautics; Bremerton Mayor Patty Lent and Kitsap County representatives Kathy Cocus and Tim Thomson; Economic Development Council of Seattle King County; Economic Alliance of Snohomish County; Columbia River Economic Development (CREDC) of Clark County; the Port of Moses Lake; the Center of Excellence for Aerospace and Advanced Manufacturing; Aerospace Tacoma-Pierce County; Greater Spokane, Inc.; Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance (PNAA) and the French-American Chamber of Commerce, Seattle.
Washington State’s aerospace sector directly employs more than 132,000 people and contributes over $85.7 billion in revenue annually. Companies joining the 2013 Commerce trade mission to Paris have so far logged $35.7 million in sales as a result of their participation.
Follow Washington State’s 2015 International Paris Air Show mission at #WAaero and #PAS15. The ChooseWashington pavilion is in Hall3 – E147.