Dayton, OH—Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, David Williams, Vice President of Procurement for Airbus Americas, and the National Composite Center (NCC) today co-hosted a procurement conference for Ohio business representatives and state officials to promote and facilitate increased business between Ohio’s aerospace manufacturers and Airbus.
The conference gave approximately 135 Ohio business representatives from 90 companies an opportunity to learn about contracting with Airbus and connect with Airbus and Airbus Tier-1 supplier representatives from companies such as GE, Parker Aerospace, RTI and United Technologies Aerospace Systems in one-on-one meetings. The event was held at the NCC in Kettering, Ohio. The National Composites Center is a proud partner of Airbus in their combined mission to further expand the use of made-in-America supply chains in the aerospace industry.
Chairman Turner said, “Today’s cooperative effort between Airbus, the NCC and Ohio companies is indicative of the bright future of aerospace in our state.
In 2008, I was proud to bring $1.6 million of government funding to the NCC, and an additional $1.6 million in 2010 that helped to advance the development of aerospace composite technologies.
This $3.2 million was significant in developing the capabilities that have enabled and assisted the partnership between the NCC and Airbus. In my role as Chairman of the House Armed Services Tactical, Air and Land Forces Subcommittee, I continue to work diligently to ensure that the groundbreaking work taking place at the NCC and at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is recognized and protected.
Composites will continue to play a huge role in aerospace development and today’s conference was key to further strengthening Ohio’s aerospace industry.”
Senator Brown said, “This procurement conference is an example of what can be achieved when government and the private sector work together to create opportunities for Ohio aerospace manufacturers. Our state prides itself on its ability to attract and retain key companies that aim to succeed in research, innovation, and technology sectors; our top-notch universities, research centers, and cutting-edge companies clearly have drawn Airbus’ interest.”
Williams remarked, “Ohio is the highest ranked American state for Airbus spending—we spent $6.1 billion here in 2013 alone. It’s a clear indication to us that the state of Ohio is a magnet for entrepreneurs and innovators in the aerospace industry, which is why we keep coming back to explore the opportunities. Airbus has benefitted for years from Ohio’s robust network of aerospace supply businesses, and we believe that this conference will allow us to reinforce and advance our existing connections in the state and foster our outreach efforts by connecting us with new businesses in the industry.”
Airbus spent $14.4 billion for aircraft-related procurement with U.S. companies in 2013. Ohio received $6.1 billion of that, making the state the highest ranked state for Airbus spending. The company intends to nearly double its procurement spend in the U.S. by 2020