28 June 2011 - Aéro Montréal supports business meetings between Lockheed Martin and Québec companies
Aéro Montréal supports business meetings between Lockheed Martin and Québec companies
Montreal, May 19, 2011 - As part of Lockheed Martin’s mission to Québec organized by Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED), Aéro Montréal is delighted with the holding of various meetings between Lockheed Martin managers responsible for the F-35 procurement program and many Québec aerospace companies.
During a three-day visit, the American company held 50 B2B meetings and toured the facilities of many key, pre-selected players from Québec’s aerospace industry. These meetings flowed from a mission to Lockheed Martin’s plant in Fort Worth in December 2010 in which Aéro Montréal participated. They aim to position new potential suppliers in the global supply chain of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) jet.
The themes of the meetings covered mainly maintenance, repair, overhaul and upgrades of aircraft; the LM-Star program and development testing programs; support equipment as well as training systems and equipment.
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jet is a key program in which the Québec aerospace industry has been heavily involved for several years. “It is important for our companies to position themselves, starting now, in order to integrate into the global supply chains and thereby ensure spinoffs and jobs for the next 30 to 40 years,” notes Gilles Labbé, Chairman of the Board of Aéro Montréal and Chief Executive Officer of Héroux-Devtek. “That’s why Aéro Montréal is proud to be working with the CED and its partners to maximize the spinoffs of these important contracts for the Québec industry.
CED is part of the inter-ministerial team established to manage Canada’s participation in the international partnership for the F-35. The agency is playing an active role in this program to ensure that the aerospace industry in the Québec regions can make a positive contribution and participate in the most optimal way possible in the program. This effort is being supported by the Ministry of Economic Development, Innovation and Export Trade (MDEIE) as well as by the Quebec Aerospace Association for SMEs (AQA).
“At this crucial stage of the process for selecting suppliers, Aéro Montréal and its Defence and National Security Working Group are supporting and playing an active role in promoting links between Québec companies and Lockheed Martin,” says Suzanne M. Benoît, CEO of Aéro Montréal. “As a strategic think tank with the mission of optimizing the competitiveness and growth of Québec’s aerospace industry, Aéro Montréal will also participate in a third mission to Texas next fall.”
About Aéro Montréal
Aéro Montréal, Québec’s aerospace cluster, is a think tank that brings together 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 focused actions to increase cohesion and optimize competitiveness. By fostering the growth and expansion of Greater Montréal’s aerospace cluster, it intends to make this industry an increasingly important source of wealth creation for the Montréal region, Québec and Canada.
Véronique Coutu
Senior Communications Advisor
Aéro Montréal
Tel: 514 987-9334
veronique.coutu@aeromontreal.ca