These measures will allow cutting down costs by avoiding large investments to import and transport components currently purchased from other suppliers abroad, and at the same time will provide for an increase of local contents in their products

, in line with the objectives set by ProMexico and the Mexican Federation of Aerospace Industry, Federacion Mexicana de la Industria Aeroespacial (Femia).

Carlos Robles, Chief Operations Officer with Bombardier Aerospace in Mexico, explained that they currently have eight Mexican suppliers, and that the purpose is reaching 15 before 2015 is over.

One of the Mexican companies that has walked this path is Precision Castparts Corporation, which supplies metal components and compound materials from a plant located at the same aerospace industrial park, adjoining Queretaro Intercontinental Airport.

The Spaniard company Aernnova, which manufactures structures for airplanes such as Airbus A380, Embraer 190 and Eurocopter's Superpuma helicopter, is also interested in increasing the presence of Mexican companies in their suppliers portfolio.

Francisco Javier Perez, the company's CEO in Mexico, informed that they currently work with four Mexican suppliers, and by the end of 2014 they expect to have eight more, devoted to the manufacture of machined components, pipes, welds and harnesses.

Armin Wippich, Head of Country Sourcing Coordination and Network Operations with the European aerospace consortium EADS, said that their company also wants to increase their purchases in Mexico and by 2020 the annual amount of purchases from companies established in Mexico should amount to US$28.47 million, a 150% growth over the current US$11.38 million per annyn.

According to Femia and ProMexico, local components contained in Mexican aerospace manufactures account for around 9%, but the purpose is to reach over 50% by 2020.

Source: Maquila Portal