Canada’s Aerospace Industry Has Significant Impact on Canadian Economy and Has the Potential to Double Aerospace Jobs by 2020

Abbotsford, Canada, February 27, 2011 --(PR.com)-- Cascade Aerospace CEO David Schellenberg has been part of the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada’s (AIAC’s) national campaign to help Canadians better understand the benefits of the Canadian aerospace sector and to highlight the positive regional impacts as well as the industry growth opportunities for the future. Mr. Schellenberg recently spoke at a Vancouver Board of Trade Lunch and met with business leaders representing the Business Council of BC, BC Chamber of Commerce and others to share the key messages.

“An expected global demand for 30,000 aircraft represents an outstanding opportunity for Canadian aerospace, with the potential to double the number of aerospace jobs in BC and across the country by 2020,” says David Schellenberg.

Canada is home to the world’s fifth largest aerospace industry, employing nearly 80,000 people in 2009 and generating more than $22 billion in revenue from coast to coast. Western Canada employs close to 14,000 people in the industry, including more than 5,000 in BC.

“The aerospace sector’s success is based on Canadian expertise, intellectual property and entrepreneurial spirit,” continues Schellenberg. “The global market is growing, but global competition is also heating up. To remain competitive internationally and grow our industry at home, we need a more strategic approach and collaboration between government, business, industry and academia in order to capture the future potential of our industry and create high quality jobs here in BC and across Canada.”

David Schellenberg is the CEO of both Cascade Aerospace and its parent company Conair Group Inc., and also serves as the Vice Chairman of the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada.

According to a recent report by Deloitte entitled The Strategic and Economic Impact of the Canadian Aerospace Industry, the Canadian aerospace industry is expected to have generated $24.1 billion in revenue in 2010 and employed 82,956 people. More than 400 aerospace companies are located across Canada, with Greater Vancouver being BC's main aerospace cluster; benefiting from its proximity to Boeing’s home and strong aerospace community in neighbouring Washington state. The industry is also supported by one of Canada’s largest aerospace training centres at the British Columbia Institute of Technology. Leading BC aerospace firms include ASCO Aerospace, Avcorp Industries, Cascade Aerospace, Kelowna Flightcraft, MDA Corp., MTU Maintenance, NGRAIN, Viking Air and Vector Aerospace.

Cascade Aerospace Inc. is a dynamic, privately-held Canadian specialty aerospace and defence contractor focused on providing long-term integrated aircraft support programs for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), military, government and commercial customers. Cascade provides C-130 legacy fleet management services to Canada’s Department of National Defense (DND) and has a 20 year contract with Lockheed Martin to support Canada’s incoming fleet of C-130Js. Cascade is one of only 13 in the world Lockheed Martin-authorized C-130 Service Centers, and is also partnered with CAE Inc. in the delivery of C-130J operations and maintenance trainers to Canada and other C-130 operators around the world. In addition to Canada’s DND, Cascade is proud to currently serve Bombardier, CanJet, First Air, the Governments of Alberta and Saskatchewan, Lynden Air Cargo, WestJet, YXX Aerospace and Xstrata Nickel.

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For additional information:

Lorna Thomassen
Director, Marketing

Direct: 604.557.2564
lthomassen@cascadeaerospace.com

www.cascadeaerospace.com