Meet and compete

The history of the aerospace industry in Washington (WA) State is almost as long as the history of the aircraft. In 1916, just thirteen years after the Wright brothers took their first flight at Kitty Hawk, William Boeing founded the Pacific Aero Products Company, renamed Boeing Airplane Company. It was then that WA State started charting its growth to become one of the dominant regions in the world for aerospace manufacture. It is based on this heritage, combined with the State's entrepreneurial spirit that forms the roots of Washington's continuing lead in aerospace design and manufacture.

Q: Why do you feel is it important to have an aerospace cluster?
With over 600 companies engaged in all phases of aerospace research, design, engineering and manufacturing, WA State is at the heart of the Pacific Northwest's aerospace cluster. It is the basis for a vibrant and prosperous industry, easily adaptable to the needs of an ever changing worldwide supply chain environment.

Q: What is your aerospace cluster's aim?
WA State's primary goal is to generate a competitive environment for the aerospace industry to grow and expand within all aspects of the industry, from commercial to military, manned and unmanned, including space and ultimately, our goal is to provide the best quality service, on time at the most competitive price over the life cycle of the product.

Q: What kinds of capabilities can your member companies offer aerospace OEMs?
Boeing historically has provided the impetus to develop innovative solutions. With the globalisation of the supply chain, our companies have adapted to provide this broad range of services to OEMs around the globe. With the presence of global tier one and two companies like BAE Systems, Safran, GE Aerospace, Crane Aerospace, Mitsubishi, Goodrich and Triumph in the region, our lower tier companies are able to quickly adapt to the changing needs of the supply chain for all major OEMs. We want to grow in composite development as well as the diversity of companies supplying quality engineering solutions provides continual strength to the cluster.

Q: What are the key aerospace programmes that the cluster is actively engaged in? What kinds of manufacturing and production technological innovations are involved?
The Pacific Northwest aerospace cluster engages in all current major commercial aerospace programmes worldwide as well as all major US military programmes. ElectroImpact has designed the tooling and fixtures for the horizontal construction for the wings of both the A380 and the A350 XWB. Global Aerosystems is heavily engaged in the development of the Mitsubishi Regional Jet. Insitu, a Boeing company is a leading designer and manufacturer of medium sized UAVs.

Q: How is the cluster responding to OEM demand signals for new and advanced technological innovations? Is the region obtaining funding to keep pace with these changes in manufacturing and production methodologies?
WA State is currently undertaking a strategic review via the Commerce Department and the Washington Aerospace Council to determine how the State can best meet future needs for the evolving global aerospace industry. We have already taken steps to increase technical and engineering training and are in the process of identifying other efforts, including meeting those above.
WA State undertook this effort with the realisation that over the next few years there will be a dramatic change in global aerospace as Boeing continues to outsource its core work and as Airbus, China, Russia, Japan, Canada and Brazil outsource and create new competing products that challenge the current duopoly.

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