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Aerospace in Mexico
A successful trade mission by the World Trade Centre Montr�al

Aerospace is a leading industrial cluster in Montréal – and it’s also a fast-growing market in several Mexican regions!

From May 6 to 12, the World Trade Centre Montréal – the Board of Trade’s team of international trade experts – led a trade mission for about 10 representatives of Quebec companies1 interested in doing business there to five cities in four Mexican states.  Organized in partnership with the Quebec Aerospace Association and the Ministère du Développement économique, de l’Innovation et de l’Exportation and with the financial support of Canada Economic Development, this mission enabled participants to take the pulse of the Mexican aerospace industry and its business practices and to make valuable contacts.

Mexico’s aerospace industry
Mexico’s aerospace industry is booming, with more than 120 companies employing some 60,000 people, primarily in the avionics, engines, and accessories sectors as well as those of planes and aircraft parts.

The aircraft and spare parts market is currently worth US$675 million, and it is expected to grow by 10% in the coming years.  Companies in this sector have announced cumulative planned investments of almost US$400 million.

In addition, several major projects currently in the pipeline will soon generate excellent business opportunities.  Aeroméxico plans to invest US$600 million to renew its fleet, for example.  The accelerated development of the tourism industry will also promote strong growth in Mexico’s aviation industry and generate increased demand for imported equipment and services.

Cities rich in aeronautics
In addition to Mexico City, the trade mission of the WTC Montréal visited four Mexican cities that are home to several plants linked to the aeronautics sector: Querétaro – where Bombardier has a factory – Monterrey, Mexicali, and Tijuana.  These visits included factory tours, seminars on the industry and business practices in Mexico, networking activities, and, of course, individual meetings with potential business partners.

“Everywhere we went, we sensed a strong desire on the part of both the Mexican government and the individual states we visited to stimulate trade and develop a strong aeronautics industry in Mexico,” notes Louise Bélanger, vice-president, Membership and Services to enterprises, at the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal, who led the mission.

This mission took place just one year after the signing by Quebec premier Jean Charest and José Natividad Gonzáles Parás, governor of the state of Nuevo Léon, of a cooperative agreement between the two governments covering education, culture, and economic development.

High-quality contacts
This trade mission was a first for Charles Magnan, vice-president, Sales and Marketing, of Vision and Robotics – a Montréal company offering solutions aiming to optimize manufacturing processes and quality control, particularly for the aerospace and automobile industries.  “My goal, in the beginning, was to better understand Mexico’s aerospace industry and meet potential clients to see if we could help Mexican companies in the same way we help other North American firms.”

Magnan was clearly delighted by the experience.  “The mission was very well organized.  We received excellent information about the Mexican market, and we sensed that being part of this mission gave us greater credibility.  As for the individual meetings, I was impressed by the quality of the people I spoke to as well as the quality of the contacts I established with them – the type of contacts that lead to good business.”

World Trade Centre Montréal
The World Trade Centre Montréal, the team of international trade experts at the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal, offers local companies a range of services to help them do business beyond Quebec’s borders.

With the financial support of Canada Economic Development, the experts at the WTC Montréal provide concrete assistance to Quebec companies wishing to penetrate foreign markets, through foreign missions, training workshops, and consulting services.