Lt. Governor Rutherford Leads Delegation of Maryland Companies to Farnborough Airshow
International airshow attracts more than 100,000 visitors and 1,500 exhibitors
ANNAPOLIS, MD (July 11, 2016) – Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford joins Maryland Department of Commerce Secretary Mike Gill in leading a delegation of nine Maryland companies to the Farnborough Airshow, which kicks off today in Hampshire, England and runs through July 17. The show, which draws more than 100,000 visitors and is considered one of the world’s largest aerospace exhibitions, will feature a 72-square-meter Maryland Pavilion where participating Maryland companies can showcase their products and services and meet with prospective customers and partners. During the show, Lt. Governor Rutherford and Secretary Gill will meet with a number of global aerospace companies to promote Maryland’s strategic location and unique assets.
“Attending the Farnborough Airshow puts Maryland and its participating companies in front of the senior decision-makers at top aerospace companies, as well as more than 1,500 exhibitors looking to buy and sell products and services,” said Lt. Governor Rutherford. “Our goal is to reinforce to this targeted audience that Maryland is open for business, and help connect our participating companies with new trade and investment opportunities.”
“Home to key federal agencies, higher-education institutions and businesses, Maryland is well-equipped to provide aerospace companies with the resources and workforce they need to succeed,” said Maryland Commerce Secretary Gill. “The Farnborough Airshow is one of the best opportunities to not only increase Maryland’s visibility in the global market, but also promote the state’s outstanding climate for aerospace to international companies looking to expand into the U.S. market.”
The Maryland companies exhibiting are: American General Supplies in Gaithersburg; ASTec Metalworks in Middle River; Aviation Systems Engineering Co. in Lexington Park; Land Sea Air Manufacturing and Land Sea Air Autonomy in Westminster; Maryland Thermoform in Baltimore; Planar Monolithics and WGS Systems in Frederick; and SURVICE Engineering in Belcamp. Many of the companies attending received an ExportMD grant from Maryland Commerce to help offset the cost of participating in the show.
“The Farnborough Airshow is our primary sales event of the year, with aerospace manufacturers attending from around the world,” said Todd Paul, owner and president of Land Sea Air Manufacturing. “As a primary supplier of flight critical products, assemblies and components, we are here to meet with our customers and develop new ones. The state of Maryland and the U.S. Department of Commerce have worked closely with our team to help us present our manufacturing company in the best possible light. We appreciate their hard work and support and we are already realizing benefit from their efforts.”
Maryland remains a leader in the aerospace and defense industries. In addition to its highly-skilled workforce and critical mass of companies, Maryland offers the benefit of proximity to many federal agencies, including NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Joint Base Andrews, Naval Air Station Patuxent River, and the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.
In addition, Maryland is also home to eight of the top 10 aerospace companies in the U.S., including Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman Mission Systems, BAE Systems, and General Dynamics. In addition, the state has many of the top defense contractors, making it one of the world’s most competitive and extensive aerospace and defense clusters.
Karen Glenn Hood
Director
Media Relations and Public Affairs
Maryland Department of Commerce
401 E. Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21202
O 410-767-6318 | C 443-463-8129
