SMEs face obstacles to entering the aerospace sector

Mexican small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that want to become suppliers to the aerospace sector face a long but not impossible process, said Enrique Maldonado Cervantes, director of Supplier Development at the Mexican Federation of the Aerospace Industry (FEMIA).

In a videoconference, the executive explained that the process SMEs go through to become suppliers to the sector takes time, because applicants must first plan their certification.

“It is a process that, while it takes time, is not one in which we could say in a year that you are already part of the aerospace sector, first because you have to plan for certification and go through the process of approaching the leading companies,” he said.

He made it clear that it is not impossible for Mexican SMEs to become suppliers and even said that companies such as Embraer, Bombardier, and GE Aerospace are very interested in developing work packages in the country with local SMEs.

He indicated that they do not see much added value in working with transnational companies, because the price that can be charged from Mexico to the United States is practically the same, but without the added value of domestic manufacturing.

In the webinar entitled “Migration Process in the Aerospace Industry,” the executive listed 10 aspects to consider in the migration process for SMEs, including the national and global perspective of the sector; identifying events in the aerospace sector; and understanding business opportunities.

He also discussed describing potential customers; identifying the current composition of the sector and technological capabilities; and planning the process of implementing aerospace standards.

In addition to analyzing business models, which are low volume and high mix; quotation processes; KPIs (key performance indicators) used in the sector; and the construction of the aerospace standards value chain.

Finally, Maldonado Cervantes commented that FEMIA only communicates some of the needs of companies in the sector, but there will soon be a seminar in which strategic allies and leading companies will participate and give these recommendations to interested SMEs.