Prior to the wrap up of this year’s Paris Air Show on Sunday, June 21, 2015, Governor Francisco Vega de Lamadrid has announced that new aviation industry related manufacturing investment will soon materialize in Baja California.

During the Paris Air Show, also known as “Le Bourget,” State officials have expressed that new aerospace industry manufacturing investment in Baja California will consist of a significant, near term capital injection in the amount of approximately seventy-five million dollars. Twenty-seven million dollars of that total sum was announced on Thursday, June 18, 2005 by companies that already have a noteworthy presence in the region.

Baja California is a Mexican aerospace industry leader

Aerospace firms that already have taken up residence in the State that have committed to making further manufacturing investment in Baja California at Le Bourget include:

  • GKN Aerospace
  • The Triumph Group

The UK-based GKN Aerospace established an eighty thousand square foot composites manufacturing facility in Mexicali in 2012 for the purpose of producing structures of that material for use by Sikorsky BlackHawk Helicopter. Further manufacturing investment in Baja California will enable the GKN to expand its Mexican plant’s capabilities to engage in the production of more classes of components, including aerospace parts for rotary and fixed-wing commercial aircraft.

Also, during the event, Governor de Lamadrid and members of his staff met with upper management personnel from the Pennsylvania-based Triumph Group. Its Insulation System Unit is located in Mexicali, and is one of the world’s leading suppliers of aircraft insulation. It’s capabilities include:

  • Design Engineering
  • Material Development and Testing
  • Engineering Integration
  • Airbus Thermal Acoustic Insulation
  • Boeing Thermal Acoustic Insulation
  • Precision Vacuum Formed Components
  • Soft Goods Manufacturing
  • Other Aircraft Interior Support Solutions

During this second session at the Paris Air Show, Triumph executives met with State officials to update Baja California’s governor on progress being made as regards the construction of a second company facility in the aforementioned Baja California border town.

In terms of new manufacturing investment in Baja California discussed at the Paris event, UTC Aerospace officials updated State government staff on the status of the construction of a new one hundred and sixty thousand square foot production plant that is in process in Mexicali, as well. Ground was broken for the new UTC plant in early 2014.  It is projected to commence production of aerospace manufactured parts during the first quarter of 2016.

Investment in workforce training is money well spent

In his public comments, Governor de la Madrid expressed the importance of attracting new firms to the State, but also heavily emphasized the need to conscientiously attend to the needs of companies that have already demonstrated their commitment to the entity’s economy by having already made significant manufacturing investments in Baja California. He noted that by channeling further resources to provide for better and wider workforce training, for example, not only will companies already resident in the State thrive, but, also, those companies that are considering locating in the Baja California to support their customers will make the state their home, as well.