Mexico is poised to be a key player in the aerospace industry

MEXICO - Two decades ago, the aerospace industry in Mexico was practically non-existent. The few exports generated by the sector did not reach US$1.5 billion, and national participation in the space sector was limited.

Today, Mexico has managed to position itself as a key player in this industry, reaching exports close to US$12 billion and consolidating high impact projects such as Colmena, the first 100% Mexican nanosatellite and the manufacture of key components for space engines.

During the first aerospace congress 'Space People', which took place at the end of September at Frontón México, presented by Katya Echazarreta, the main actors of the sector discussed the exponential growth experienced by the Mexican aerospace industry and its future projection.

Luis G. Lizcano, executive president of the Mexican Federation of the Aerospace Industry (Femia), highlighted the growth of the Mexican aerospace industry in the last 20 years. In 2003, Mexico barely exported around US$1.3 billion in aerospace products.

“This year our exports will reach almost US$12 billion, which represents an exponential growth, multiplied by ten, in two decades,” he explained. This leap, he explained, is largely due to the installation of specialized plants and international collaboration.

Lizcano pointed out that, in the aeronautical field, Mexico has consolidated its participation by manufacturing components for large commercial aircraft.

“Many parts of the airplanes we fly are manufactured in Mexico. Today, more than 65,000 direct jobs depend on this industry, and they are highly specialized jobs that have transformed the industrial landscape,” he said.

He stressed that this success is a model that Femia seeks to replicate in the space sector.

“We want to apply the same approach we have developed in aeronautics to grow our capability in space. We've done it before, and we're on track to do it again,” he concluded.