Consider the Present, Look to the Future

Q: What are the Aerospace Cluster of Baja California’s priorities for developing the industry?

A: The state hosts business segments that have grown at their own pace: defense, commercial aviation, the space industry, drones, and MRO services. As a cluster, we must concentrate on developing human capital specifically catering to the existing and future needs of the aerospace companies within our reach. This industry in Mexico is predominantly manufacturing and assembly but we must invest in design centers to train talent in more complex and challenging projects. Although there is a need for technicians and aerospace engineers, mechanical, industrial, civil and mechatronics engineers can all contribute to the sector’s development.

The second element we must prioritize is the development of a national supply chain. It is important to identify successful companies that could become aerospace suppliers but have not yet dabbled in this area. These companies usually have potential to become suppliers but refrain because they are unaware of the opportunities or they think the certification processes are too long and resource consuming. For SMEs it is even more challenging because they need more support to comply with certifications on their own. As a cluster, we must help SMEs access funds from the federal government and to find the appropriate aerospace advisors to guide them according to their niche. Our mandate is to increase national content through local suppliers because it will help the overall industry in the long term.

Thirdly we must inform the public of our activities and the benefits and potential business opportunities the aerospace sector offers. The only way to attract new investors and suppliers to the state of Baja California is through communication and promotion of projects and business opportunities within the cluster. Baja California has been home to a prosperous aerospace industry for over 50 years but few are aware of our success.

Q: How does the Cluster collaborate with others emerging across the country?

A: The aerospace industry is present in 18 Mexican states and five entities are recognized by the Ministry of Economy as having an aerospace vocation. Our cluster assists and supports all initiatives, looking at the development of the aerospace industry across Mexico. We are working closely with several clusters to share our expertise in best business practices, hence the collaboration between Baja California and the emerging aero cluster in Guanajuato.

Rather than competing, Mexican aero clusters should complement each other’s capabilities and states must find their niche. We have a close relationship with all the existing clusters in different states such as Chihuahua, Nuevo Leon, Queretaro and Sonora with the goal of working together toward the development of the aerospace industry in Mexico.

Q: What areas of opportunity should Mexico address to consolidate the aerospace industry?

A: The industry’s main goal is to guarantee aircraft safety. This is the hardest part to understand for other industries that look to build market participation based on cost reductions, rather than excellence through safety. The aerospace industry needs an integral system that encompasses airports, certifications, MROs, infrastructure and many more elements that are part of our ecosystem. Hence, the need for constant communication between companies, the government, stakeholders and potential investors. Reliable information would allow new opportunities to emerge.

An important milestone for Mexico was the signing of BASA between the Mexican and US governments. This agreement allows Mexican aviation authorities to certify the development of new procedures, designs, modifications and revisions of products in our country before exporting them to the world. BASA is the culmination of a 10-year effort since 2006 and it has accelerated the establishment of more than 300 aerospace enterprises in Mexico today. The standardized regulatory framework in Mexico with accepted international standards will facilitate global industry growth.