Mexico ranks among the top 10 countries in the global aerospace industry

Luis Lizcano, CEO of the Mexican Aerospace Industry Federation (FEMIA), pointed out that the country already ranks tenth in the global aerospace industry and that talent development has been key to the growth shown in the sector over the last two decades.

In an interview with A21, the executive shared details following his participation in the Mexican delegation that attended the Paris Air Show in June, where, he said, they held talks with companies at the global level that see Mexico as an ideal place to invest.

“Analyzing the sector, we estimate that we are in tenth place; there are nine countries larger than us in terms of the aerospace industry,” said Lizcano.

Much of the credit for Mexico's position, as boasted by the executive director of FEMIA, is due to talent development, although there is still much to be done in this area.

“What are we missing? First, we need to consolidate our talent training in the sector. At the end of the day, it's not the costs that matter, although they are not a negligible factor. Competitive costs are sought and are important for a decision, but the most important factor is the availability of talent,” he said.

“The availability of talent is what has led to growth in the last 20 years (...) what higher education institutions are doing to meet demand in a satisfactory manner is very important,” he stressed.

Currently, aeronautical education in Mexico is concentrated in 30 institutions in 14 states across the country, offering 29 programs and five levels (high school, specialized technical, advanced technical, engineering, and postgraduate), according to data from the Mexican Council for Aerospace Education (COMEA).

“We are working with COMEA to obtain more accurate data on this subject and are conducting a national aerospace registry to determine its size,” Lizcano said.

In an interview with A21, the executive recalled that in 2004, Mexico recorded exports worth US$1.3 billion. Currently, he estimated that the value of aerospace industry exports ranges between US$11.7 billion and US$11.9 billion, although he stressed that this figure is still preliminary, as consolidated data for the 2024 fiscal year is not yet available.