21 April 2015 - Aéro Montréal applauds the Canadian government's budget measure for the establishment of a supplier development program for the aerospace sector
Aéro Montréal applauds the Canadian government's budget measure for the establishment of a supplier development program for the aerospace sector
Montréal, April 21, 2015 - Aéro Montréal, Québec's aerospace cluster, welcomes today's announcement by the Minister of Finance, the Honourable Joe Oliver, regarding the allocation of $6 million in 2016-2017 to a strategic aerospace and defence initiative designed to establish a national aerospace supplier development initiative modelled on the cluster's MACH program. With this decision, the federal government recognizes the importance of supporting small and medium size enterprises in improving their competitiveness.
Today's announcement responds to one of the major challenges facing the aerospace sector. "The aerospace supply chain is undergoing a transformation around the world," noted Maria Della Posta, Chair of Aéro Montréal. "To remain competitive, our companies need to constantly innovate and differentiate themselves through operational excellence. In Québec, we have a large number of SMEs that must increasingly do business with integrators and original equipment manufacturers (OEM) abroad. Their viability depends on improved internal practices and processes that enhance their capabilities on a global level. It is in this context that we launched the MACH Initiative, a supplier development program in Quebec."
The MACH Initiative, established by Aéro Montréal in 2011, is a program to improve the competitiveness and performance of the aerospace supply chain. It aims to help suppliers better understand the needs and expectations of OEMs and Tier 1 integrators and ensure they respond to them, both locally and internationally.
In 2012, the Emerson report Beyond the Horizon: Canada's Interests and Future in Aerospace emphasized the strategic importance and impact of the MACH Initiative in Québec:
"In Canada, aerospace supplier development initiatives are in place or under development in Québec, Manitoba and Ontario. The most advanced is the MACH Initiative, a public-private partnership set up by Aéro Montréal, which will devote $15 million over 5 years to help 70 suppliers better understand the needs and expectations of OEMs and Tier 1 integrators and to acquire the necessary internal capacity to operate at this level."
"The MACH Initiative has proven itself," said Suzanne M. Benoît, President of Aéro Montréal. "In the context of globalization, operational excellence and more sustained cooperation with customers really make the difference for SMEs. Aéro Montréal is proud that the Government of Canada recognizes the importance of deploying such a program nationwide. This will enhance and support the program already in place in Québec."
About Aéro Montréal
Aéro Montréal, Québec's aerospace cluster, is a strategic think tank that groups all the major decision makers in Québec's aerospace sector, including companies, educational and research institutions, associations and unions.
Aéro Montréal’s mission is to mobilize industry players around common goals and concerted actions to increase the cohesion and optimize competitiveness of Québec’s aerospace cluster. It aims to foster the growth and expansion of the cluster so as to ensure that it may continue to create wealth for Montréal, Québec and Canada. For more information, visit aeromontreal.ca.
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