Business

<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Mike Benbow, Business Editor benbow@heraldnet.com   Published: Monday, June 29, 2009 Northwest aerospace uses Paris Air Show to make its case By Michelle Dunlop Herald Writer EVERETT -- Back from the Paris Air Show, several local companies and organizations are taking inventory of leads generated from aerospace's big event. "There was a fair amount of interest from companies in investing in (Washington)," said Bill King, vice chairman of the Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance. King's group, along with the Washington Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development and Aerospace Futures Alliance, organized a state aerospace pavilion at the air show, which wrapped up earlier this month. Eleven Northwest aerospace companies participated. "We had the largest participation yet," King said. "Companies seem to recognize that it is a global supply chain and they want to take part," he said. King estimated that the group had organized about 80 meetings for participating companies at the air show. Although it will be weeks before the association gets feedback from the companies that participated in the trip, King said, preliminary feedback was positive. Cyndi Schaeffer, who represented Edmonds Community College at the air show, thought the trip went well. Through its Business Training Center, Edmonds Community College provides customized training for aerospace companies. The community college offers computer-assisted design training, ISO standards courses and leadership development training. "We have provided that training locally and nationally," Schaeffer said. Several of the companies that Schaeffer met with have headquarters in other states but have offices in Washington. Edmonds Community College has been involved in some of the training courses for Boeing 787 workers at the Employment Resource Center in Everett. The community college also offers training in composites and advanced manufacturing. Washington wasn't the only state trying to promote its aerospace base at the air show. Several states from the South, which is becoming a rival region for aerospace to the Pacific Northwest, also participated in the show. Businesses from the states of Alabama, Mississippi and Florida held a pre-event reception for officials from Northrop Grumman, Boeing's rival for a lucrative aerial refueling tanker contest. READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

1. Tulalip man, 20, charged with baby boy's murder 2. Donated safe gives Marysville museum a mystery 3. Fears over commercial air service at Paine Field dismissed 4. Everett officer charged with manslaughter reveals plan for defense 5. Merchants reject security for downtown Snohomish 6. Holmgren interested in returning to Seahawks 7. Friends open account for orphaned daughters of Highway 9 crash victims 8. Crack That Safe 9. Country singing contestant Chance McKinney amazed by his fans 10. Have M’s, Figgins reached a deal? 2 - Top 10 Stories Most Talked about 3 - Top 10 Stories Most Emailed

• Wildcats fall to familar foe in semis • ‘Nutcracker' times three • Road warrior • Mavericks reloading • Holiday Lightings & Santa Sightings • Cities prepare for winter blast repeat • Wolfpack duo takes last shot at state tourney • This Weekend in Your Town • Tips for the stormy season • Boeing will build, flight test and deliver 787s in South Carolina to spe ... • Snohomish County EDC promoting job growth in key industry clusters • $4 million grant to advance brain tumor research has Everett links • Providence medical center construction tops off its 12-story steel frame ... • Tulalip affordable housing project to be financed by KeyBank, Raymond Ja ... • Arlington's Lak of Ink has a growing following for Luke Kooyman's creati ... • Bank of the Northwest formed • Cascade Bank earns $1.6 million