Montreal, September 20, 2004 The World Trade Centre Montreal (WTC Montreal), a service branch of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal, and the Quebec Aerospace Association (AQA) are joining forces on a trade mission taking place September 23 and 24, 2004, at the head office of the US Naval Air Systems Command (US NAVAIR) at Patuxent River, Maryland. The objective of the trade mission is to promote Quebec's aerospace products and services for American defence. There are eleven participants, all of which are at the technological forefront of the industry major companies specializing in the design, development, manufacturing, maintenance and repair of aerospace products and equipment. All those who take part in the trade mission will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with US NAVAIR project managers as well as with their subcontractors. In 2003, the defence market in the United States had a value of US$89 billion. The Atlantic seaboard and the city of Washington are jumping-off points for both the purchase of military and aerospace equipment, and for research and development. US NAVAIR, in particular, has an annual purchasing budget of US$18 billion. Aerospace is one of the best-performing sectors of our economy. It is an industry at which we excel and one that provides tens of thousands of high-quality jobs, not only in large companies but also in SMEs. Across Canada, the industry generates annual revenues of more than $20 billion, a large part of it in Quebec, and especially in the greater Montreal area. Well-positioned to dominate international markets, our aerospace industry accounts for approximately 80% of all Canadian exports of these products. It is not surprising that airplanes are Quebec's largest export. For this reason, we are joining forces with the AQA to help our aerospace companies take advantage of the potential represented by the American defence market, said Mr. Benoit Labonté, president and chief executive officer of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal. This joint trade mission with the WTC Montréal provides Quebec aerospace SME's with greater insight and understanding of the opportunities available to them within the US defence aerospace sector, commented Sue Dabrowski, general manager, AQA. Defence is very important to the Quebec aerospace industry. This mission will allow us to open doors and can be used as a platform for future activities. Our participating SMEs are a shining example of the benefits of working together as a group and will help bring future defence opportunities into the province of Quebec. A branch of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal, World Trade Centre Montréal is supported by Canada Economic Development and offers export services to the greater business community. The AQA represents the Québec Aerospace industry at large in Canada and on an international level. -30- Sources: Sylvie Paquette
Coordinator, Media Relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Tél.: (514) 871-4000, poste 4015
sylvie.paquette@ccmm.qc.ca
Sharon Core
Manager, Mark et development and communication
Quebec Aerospace Association
Tél.: (514) 596-2388
score@aqa.ca |