Aerospace summit highlights state’s emerging industry

•News media invited to schedule interviews with hosts, suppliers and buyers •PMBC, AIAM coordinate supplier-purchasing meetings

LANSING, Mich. – Representatives from leading U.S. aerospace companies will attend the Aerospace Industry Association of Michigan (AIAM) Upper Peninsula Summit on Tuesday, Oct. 16. The gathering of teams from global companies looking to establish contracts with Michigan-based suppliers underscores the state’s fast-growing aerospace ecosystem, and broader businesses climate that includes one of the strongest manufacturing-based economies in the Midwest.

WHAT: Aerospace Industry Association of Michigan (AIAM) Upper Peninsula Summit

WHEN: Tuesday, October 16

WHERE: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Michigan Tech University campus, 1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton

Ranked among the top ten states for the aerospace industry by PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Michigan is recognized for access to talent, research-and-development facilities (Lightweight Innovations for Tomorrow, and the Institute for Advanced Composite Manufacturing Innovation), and home to more than 600 aerospace-related companies.

Pure Michigan Connect (PMBC) and AIAM are coordinating meetings on behalf of more than 60 Michigan-based companies with purchasing teams from Woodward Inc, Bell Helicopter/Cessna Aircrafts, Liebherr Aerospace, RCO Aerospace Products and GE Aviation, among others. In general, these companies are looking to purchase services/materials related to CNC machining, metal fabrication, circuit card assembly, electromagnetics, welding, treating, coating, adhesives along with architectural and engineering expertise. 

Michigan is a key location for aerospace supply chain and engineering companies. Competitive advantages include:

• Proximity to 9 of the 10 largest aerospace/defense R&D firms

• Top state for employment per capita of mechanical, industrial and aerospace engineers

• 17 universities and technical schools with aerospace and aviation curricula

Since 2011, PMBC has spearheaded connections among suppliers and purchasers that have facilitated more than $7 billion in contracts, and created or retained 32,000 jobs in Michigan. In addition to aerospace, PMBC has hosted summits and facilitated contracts for Michigan small- and medium-sized businesses in a range of industries, including automotive, agriculture, aviation, defense and cybersecurity.

For questions about the AIAM Upper Peninsula Summit event, please contact Melody VanderPloeg, melodyv@aiamnow.com

For onsite interviews, please contact Robert Chasnis, 517-599-4074, chasnisr@michigan.org; or, Frank Provenzano, provenzanof@michigan.org

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn, and Twitter.