JALISCO Welcomes the Aerospace Industry!

Global Vantage and Hydra Technologies Testimonials
Guadalajara, Jalisco is home of Aeromart 2010. With the objective to become a key player in the aerospace industry worldwide, Guadalajara will meet fabricant and suppliers of the Industry every two years for the following six years, according to Stephan Castet, Director of BCI Aerospace (organizer of Aeromart) who signed a contract with the CANIETI and the State Government of Jalisco.

Aeromart will be held from the 5th to the 8th of October with the participation of at least 250 companies, which 60% are foreign. This event will be an opportunity not only to expose products of the local supply chain, but also to make business between the large global manufacturers and the international supply chain, looking to generate opportunities of integration between the Mexican supply chain and the global aerospace industry.

The State Government is full compromised with the Industry so the Aerospace sector is considered as a Strategic area for Jalisco. The Government of the State of Jalisco through the Secretariat of Economic Promotion (SEPROE) is sponsoring part of the event, not only in favor of the entrepreneurs of Jalisco, but also the total Mexican Industry, which will be present at the Aeromart, said Mr. Alonso Ulloa, Secretary of Economic Promotion.

"The aerospace industry in Jalisco is one of the sectors with fastest growth over the past 5 years. Since the region had already developed high tech manufacturing capabilities several years before in the electronics and automotive sectors, the upshift into aerospace production was a natural step forward", Secretary Ulloa added.

The State of Jalisco is planning to multiply during the next years the number of companies that provide parts & engineering services in the aerospace sector in Jalisco. "At the moment Jalisco has more than 20 companies doing business in the aerospace field and it's the leader in Avionics & engineering due the high concentration of Electronics companies in the region", says Mr. Luis Valtierra, President of the Jalisco's Aerospace Council.

Thanks to wide platform of young engineers, Jalisco have harvested the design and engineering for the aerospace industry, manufacturing of holographic cameras, 3D speedometer for turbines, sophisticated interpherometers and different types of software. All these have been done through specialized companies on high definition, non-manned aerial vehicles UAV's), research, development and aerospace design; creating a technological and human base dedicated to electronic services, integration systems, development of prototypes and software for engineering development; Jalisco can be proud to have Excellent Engineering & Technical programs (integration of industry and educational bodies), and Training Programs Available (State & Federal Government).

Jalisco has developed their aerospace industry with vision of the future. Some of the successful aerospace companies that have experience their development at this State are Global Vantage and Hydra Technologies.

Hector Sanabria is the Business Development and Supply Chain Manager in Mexico for Global Vantage and he chatted with MexicoNOW: "We have 100 employees distributed in 3 locations within Guadalajara with a marketing and sales office in Phoenix, Arizona. Global Vantage started operations in Mexico in 2002 with 8 engineers. Since then, we have had a steady growth in our Engineering and Software Services business. In July of 2009 we launched our CNC Machining operation in order to offer concurrent design-build services to our aerospace tooling and aerospace components customers."

Sanabria explained that all of their businesses are AS9100B certified and their primary business segments include Software Engineering (DO 178B), Mechanical Engineering and High Precision Machining focused on simple-to-complex components servicing the aerospace, electronics, medical device, and oil and gas industries.

"Global Vantages customer base is comprised mainly of Tier 1 and Tier 2 aerospace suppliers, but on certain aircraft projects we support aircraft OEMs directly" Hector Sanabria continued. "Our customer base is distributed across Europe, the US, and Canada. Our one-stop-shop services become an attractive solution for companies in the need of buffer capacity, cost improvement, additional skills partnering and shorter lead times, particular in the age of nearshoring where time/distance benefits and dollar-zone sourcing off strong competitive advantages".

Eleana Nuñez is the Commercial Relations Director of Hydra Technologies and she was interviewed by MexicoNOW: "Hydra Technologies is a 100 % Mexican company that has 71 employees. We design and manufacture unmanned aerial surveillance systems, ground control systems and training services with tactical systems in different models operating and available: E-1 Gavilan; G-1 Guerrero; S-4 Ehecatl; and E-2 Colibri".

Ms. Nuñez explained that there are operational systems in use within Latin America currently for Law Enforcement and military purposes and Hydra Technologies intend to expand sales to Africa and the Middle East by 2011.

The State Government has been a great support for the installation of both companies. Hector Sanabria explained it this way: "Global Vantage has had a long-standing relationship with the authorities in different agencies in Jalisco. From linkage programs with universities to training courses for new programs, they have always been supportive. Most importantly, the State recognizes the challenges and complexities that the aerospace industries faces, from cost pressures, to resources, to schedule delays, but they been keen to continue to develop a strong cluster that can rise to the challenges in a sustainable manner." Eleana Nuñez complemented: "We have received the benefit of government funding for technology over time.

We are actively involved multiple agencies such as: CONACYT, NAFIN, BANCOMEXT, PROMEXICO among others. Jalisco's government has been a one of our main supporters since we started the project".



According to Sanabria, Jalisco is among other things positioning as a key R&D and Prototyping Center for various industries, especially for Electronic and IT related projects.

"As they carry on with their research and development programs in various sectors, they seek for a wide array of qualified industry support services. The State, in partnership with Global Vantage and other local businesses, are evaluating a number of avionics projects which would allow industry to design, produce, and install a proprietary avionics system into Mexican aircraft".

Hydra Technologies is the first Mexican company that fully develops UAVs, the project was achieved thanks to the support of several private institutions as well as government and educational alliances and therefore was a joint effort. Due to the specific nature of their products and services, and the fact that Hydra Technologies only sells to governmental agencies, the Company is considered in a complex with good market position.

Eleana Nuñez had this comment to say: "We believe that Jalisco, has the skilled labor required, an appropriate communications infrastructure for fast distribution of the products to a global market. We are located on the best business corner of the world, neighbors to the USA, and can provide competitively priced labor without the added transportation cost".

"By utilizing the talented engineers" Hector Sanabria continued, "combined with the innovation centers in Guadalajara, and the manufacturing capabilities of the well-established electronics capability, it is a goal that can be easily achieved. All the industries from Jalisco in general are always in a continuous search for more competitive and better products and services. The industrial drive in the State is strong, and the pursue for a diversity of requirements is perceived in the effort of local companies, regardless of their size, to scale up their capabilities to come up with improved added value propositions." "Jalisco is a proven concept of an ideal location for companies looking for a vast pool of qualified human resources to perform more complex, knowledge-based type of operations while avoiding high attrition rates" Hector Sanabria concluded. "The word of these outstanding conditions to do business in the region is now also spreading rapidly within the aerospace sector. A myriad of successful high tech companies established in the State doing complex manufacturing and also high-end engineering are becoming eye-openers for aerospace companies that are evaluating setting up in Mexico".

As a conclusion, Elena Nuñez from Hydra Technologies stated: "Jalisco's Government has strongly supported the development of the aeronautical industry in the past year with the creation of the States Aerospace Council, which seeks to link the three sectors involved in the development of the industry: academia, productive sector and government. One of the activities undertaken through the council is the certification of several companies in the Standard AS9100, which includes the Aerospace Quality Management, requirements for design and / or manufacturing aerospace products." Also the importance of the Aeromart Meeting by BCI in October, which aims to assist large firms and SMEs involved in the global aviation and space industries, this is the first time that Mexico will host this event said Eleana Nuñez.