Washington Delegation to Attend the Paris Air Show

Senator Lisa Brown will lead a delegation of aerospace manufacturing companies and educators

OLYMPIA. – With Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner scheduled for lift off soon, all eyes will be on Washington’s soaring aerospace industry at the 47th Paris Air Show, June 18 – 24, 2007. A Washington delegation of aerospace manufacturing companies and educators, led by Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown (D-Spokane) serving as Governor Chris Gregoire’s designee, will depart Thursday, June 14, for the six-day trade show to promote Washington as the number one location for aerospace business in the world. Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon is also a delegate with the mission. Snohomish County is home to the Boeing 787 assembly facility and many aerospace manufacturing companies.

“With the largest concentration of aerospace workers in the world, Washington is open for business and ready to meet the needs of new and expanding businesses,” said Governor Chris Gregoire, who led a similar delegation to the 2005 Paris Air Show. “Our higher-education system and worker training programs are working together to provide skills that match the needs of aeronautics programs around the globe.”

Governor Gregoire has placed considerable emphasis on supporting and attracting aerospace companies to open facilities. She, during the 2005 show, met with representatives of 11 companies. Six of those companies, including Goodrich Aerostructures, Messier Dowty, Fokker Elmo; Rolls Royce; GE (Smiths) and Messier Bugatti, opened or expanded facilities in the state as a direct result of that effort.

“The quality of Washington’s work force, our commitment to higher education and research, and a long history of working well with the industry make aerospace and Washington state a natural fit,” said Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane. “Washington companies and educators have already booked more than 14 appointments at the show and look forward to promoting the innovation, value and commitment of the state to this dynamic and exciting industry.”

Washington has the largest number of aerospace firms in the world, followed by Toulouse, France, and Montreal, Canada. The state’s aerospace industry generates over $36 billion in business activity and its operations span nearly every segment of the industry, including commercial aviation goods and services, engineering services, military and space applications.

Joining the Washington delegation in the U.S. International Pavilion will be some of the leading aerospace manufacturing companies: ABW Technologies a custom metal fabricator; Apache Aerospace Inc., specializing in state-of-the-art milling, drilling, special cutting tools and tool maintenance; Exotic Metals Forming Company LLC (EMFCO), a manufacturing company leading in state-of-the-art, high-temperature, high-strength sheet metal designs and fabrications for the aerospace industry; and Service Steel Aerospace (SSA), one of the largest distributors of steel and titanium world-wide to aircraft and aircraft parts manufacturers.

The Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development (CTED) coordinated the delegation as part of its mission to attract greater investment to Washington and to help businesses enter new foreign markets. The Snohomish County Economic Development Council and Greater Spokane Incorporated are also participating in the mission.

“This mission offers us an opportunity to create employment, expand the regional economy and remain the epicenter for global commercial aviation,” said Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon.

Traveling also with the delegation this year for the first time is a strong aerospace education contingent: Edmonds Community College is promoting its Advanced Materials Manufacturing Program, and Air Washington, an aviation training consortium, will represent Big Bend, Clover Park, Spokane, Green River and South Seattle Community Colleges, all of which have concentrated research and training programs in aeronautics. An existing, highly skilled workforce and creative worker training programs give Washington aerospace-related manufacturing companies a significant advantage, in contrast to other states shedding manufacturing jobs.

CTED is the lead state agency charged with enhancing and promoting sustainable community and economic vitality in Washington. For more information, visit www.cted.wa.gov.

The delegates will be available to the press upon their return on June 25, 2007.

Return to Sen. Brown's home page