Gov. Rick Snyder pointed to an aviation giant’s vital connection and commitment to Michigan aerospace businesses as a notable sign of the long-term success of the Pure Michigan Business Connect Program, the state’s matchmaking initiative that brings together purchasers with suppliers in a range of industries.
Snyder presented Seattle-based Boeing Research and Technology with the first PMBC Supply Chain Achievement Award at Wednesday’s PMBC Aerospace Summit at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. The gathering of purchasers and suppliers is the largest-ever aerospace matchmaking summit in the state.
“Boeing has been one of our longest collaborators, and we want to recognize their contributions to our state’s supply chain and celebrate the partnership forged over the life of the PMBC program,” said Snyder, who delivered the keynote address at the matchmaking summit, met with more than 20 global purchasers, and participated in a panel discussion on emerging trends in the aerospace industry.
To date, Boeing has awarded more than 500 purchase orders totaling more than $15 million to Michigan companies. Liberty Tool of Sterling Heights received the 2015 Boeing Excellence Award as a top Boeing supplier.
Since 2013, PMBC has worked with Boeing on more than 15 occasions. Each year, Boeing hosts Michigan suppliers at their Seattle facilities, where state businesses gain a first-hand understanding of Boeing’s needs through meeting directly with Boeing purchasers and engineers.
“Through Pure Michigan’s efforts, we’ve developed strong relationships with high quality suppliers whose expertise, experience and ideas are helping us develop manufacturing technologies that, once we apply them into our production system, will enable us to compete effectively in the marketplace of the future,” said Boeing Engineering, Test & Technology Vice President, Global Technology and Supplier Management Paul Pasquier.
The recent aerospace summit comes after Snyder attended the Paris Air Show and challenged PMBC to expand the scope of its summit.
“Michigan’s supply chain is a major reason global aerospace companies are contracting with businesses around the state,” said Snyder.
According to PricewaterhouseCoopers survey conducted in 2017, Michigan ranks second as most attractive state for aerospace manufacturing and R&D facilities based on operating costs, taxes, industry size, talent, and education attainment.
More than 20 global purchasers were on hand to connect with 430-plus Michigan suppliers to the international aerospace industry. The summit provided Michigan companies with one-on-one pitches to large- and medium-aerospace industry purchasers from around the world along with U.S.-based companies from California and Washington.
Global aerospace companies at the summit included Aernnova Aerospace, Airspace Experience Technologies, Amphenol Borisch, Ascent Aerospace, Atlas Copco, Boeing Research and Technology, Caravan Facilities Management LLC, Detroit Engineered Products, Enstrom Helicopter Corporation, FNSS Defense Systems, GKN Aerospace, GE Aviation, Independence Tooling Solutions, Liebherr Aerospace & Transportation, Marposs Corporation, MB Aerospace, P3 Group, Pratt & Whitney AutoAir, RCO Aerospace Products LLC, Sabena Technics, Delta Techops Mexico, Uber Elevate, and Woodward Inc.
Since 2011, PMBC summits have brought together purchasers and suppliers in diverse industries, including agriculture, automotive, aerospace, manufacturing and energy. The matchmaking gatherings have facilitated $5.73 billion in revenue for Michigan companies, while creating or retaining 27,941 jobs.