Alabama team optimistic on Days 1, 2 of Paris Air Show

Published On: 06.20.23 |

By: Jerry Underwood

Alabama team optimistic on Days 1, 2 of Paris Air Show

The Made in Alabama space at the 2023 Paris Air Show's U.S. Pavilion. (contributed)

Alabama economic development professionals began Day 2 of the 2023 Paris Air Show encouraged that meetings on Day 1 had advanced relationships with aerospace companies and could pay off with future growth projects.

Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, said his working team engaged in a half-dozen scheduled appointments Monday, along with other impromptu meetings with representatives of aerospace companies.

“This is the first time we’ve been back in Paris in four years, and we had a productive first day that included meetings with companies that have operations in Alabama and explored what their growth plans look like,” Canfield said. “We also opened discussions with some companies that are having workforce challenges with their other locations.”

The team began a second day of appointments Tuesday in the intensely competitive environment of the industry’s key trade event this year.

Sixteen states are manning exhibition booths in the air show’s U.S. Pavilion, including Southern competitors Florida, South Carolina and Mississippi, along with Washington, Kansas, Ohio and others.

Large U.S. cities with aerospace/aviation clusters such as Seattle, Wichita and Little Rock are also represented, as well as foreign countries and regions including Umbria, Italy, and Québec, Canada.

U.S. Sen. Katie Britt talks with Alabama Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield at the Made in Alabama booth as Day 1 of the 2023 Paris Air Show gets underway on Monday. (contributed)

Canfield and his team have made promising new contacts, including talks with a managing director of the Swiss Aerospace Cluster, which plans to bring a group of aerospace companies from Switzerland to north Alabama in August.

“We discussed the fact that Alabama has established itself with a significant foothold in space, defense and commercial aerospace, making us a state that is capturing the attention of the European aerospace industry,” he said.

Other business development specialists working at the 2023 Paris Air Show are Bob Smith, the Department of Commerce’s point man on aerospace, and Christoph Dörr, who directs the department’s European office in Stuttgart, Germany.

“We’ve had a productive time in Paris, uncovered a few leads and learned a lot,” Smith said. “Workforce remains a prevailing issue for the industry. Everyone we talked to asked about that — and that’s important to know.”

Bob Smith, the Alabama Department of Commerce’s aerospace specialist, right, engages in talks at the Made in Alabama booth on the second day of the 2023 Paris Air Show. (contributed)

‘Energy levels’

Alabama economic developers attending the air show said they believe their efforts will help clear the way for future growth within the sector, bringing new industry investment and jobs to their communities.

“Day 1 is always exciting for everybody as it’s the kickoff of the air show, and it gets everybody’s energy levels high,” said Thomas Tyson, an economic development representative for PowerSouth Energy Cooperative.

Of the meetings planned for Tuesday, he said, “We’ve done our due diligence on these companies, and we think they have promise. Getting in front of these executives at this show obviously gives you a lot of exposure, and that’s why we’re here.”

The capabilities of Alabama’s universities were on display during Day 1 of the 2023 Paris Air Show through a panel discussion titled “Made in Alabama: Tapping into the Aerospace Workforce Pipeline.” (contributed)

Talent pipeline

The capabilities of Alabama’s universities were also on display on Day 1 during a panel discussion titled “Made in Alabama: Tapping into the Aerospace Workforce Pipeline,” held in the Forum in the U.S. Pavilion. The moderator was Kimberly Robison, director of Huntsville’s U.S. Space & Rocket Center, with panelists Chuck Karr, president of the University of Alabama in Huntsville; Todd Shackett, president of Southern Union State Community College; and Steven Taylor, senior vice president for Research and Economic Development, Auburn University.

The educators outlined programs and initiatives that are preparing the students at these institutions for careers in aerospace and other fields. This includes coordination with local high schools to build a ready-made workforce.

“No matter where you locate in Alabama, you’re going to have a four-year university close to you, you’re going to have a community college close to you, and you’re going to have people in the academic setting who understand just how important it is for us to continue to work with the aerospace industry,” Karr said.

A version of this story originally appeared on the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website.