A coalition of Alabama officials are hopeful that the state’s showing this year at the Paris Air Show will draw significant investment into the state’s aerospace and defense industries after the conclusion of the show’s first day Monday (June 16).
The biennial Paris Air Show is the world’s largest aerospace exhibition, where aerospace and defense companies showcase the latest in aerospace technology.
“We’re at the Paris Air Show to strengthen relationships, pursue new investment, and position Alabama as the go-to destination for aerospace growth in the U.S,” Bob Smith, commerce’s specialist on the aerospace industry, said in a statement Monday.
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“We feel like we made a lot of progress moving toward our objectives today, and we’re looking forward to making even more progress on Tuesday.”
Alabama companies representing the state this year are SEA Wire and Cable and Alabama Aerospace. SEA Wire and Cable, based in Madison, is a distributor of military-aerospace wire, cable, tubing and other materials used in military and commercial aerospace products. Alabama Aerospace, based in Huntsville, distributes tools and electromechanical components used for aircrafts, missiles, spacecrafts and defense systems.
“Our mission is to provide flawless parts to the warfighter, astronaut and sailor,” said David Clark, general manager of Alabama Aerospace, in a statement. “We will meet many of our suppliers and customers at the exhibit. Our focus will be on expanding our exports and relationships in Europe.”
Growth
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Alabama ranked 4th in the nation for having the most aerospace engineers as of May of 2023, with 4,950. Of those, 4,280 work in Huntsville. Considering Alabama’s population, the state has the single-highest concentration of aerospace engineers in the nation.
According to commerce, more than $4 billion in investment directly related to the aerospace industry poured into the state over the past decade, and created around 10,000 jobs. Companies leading the way for investment included Airbus, United Launch Alliance, GE Aerospace, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon.
The air show ends Sunday.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Alexander Willis and originally published by Alabama Daily News.
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