U.S. Commerce Department Official Announces $1.3 Billion in Commercial Signings for U.S. Aerospace Companies with Canadian Firms

WASHINGTON, May 3, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Suresh Kumar, assistant secretary of Commerce for Trade Promotion and director general of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service, today announced commercial signings worth $1.34 billion in U.S. contracts with Canadian aerospace firms, a figure representing over $800 million in U.S. export content.  Kumar is currently leading a U.S. Aerospace Supplier Trade Mission of 21 U.S. companies to Canada on May 2-4, and the agreements are a culmination of deals signed by trade mission members and other U.S. aerospace suppliers.

"With over $13 billion in bilateral aerospace trade in 2009, the aerospace sector is crucial to the economic future of both the U.S. and Canada. Top companies in both countries understand that long-term success is dependent upon a highly adaptive global supply chain," Kumar said.  "These newly signed commercial deals are a crucial part of our effort to strengthen the economy and will make an important contribution to manufacturing and job growth across the United States."

The trade mission advances President Obama's National Export Initiative (NEI) by promoting increased exports through the aerospace supply chain and helping small- and mid-sized companies compete globally.  Announced in January 2010, the NEI aims to double U.S. exports by 2015, while supporting millions of jobs.

The U.S.-Canadian Business Deals include the following:

• Bell Helicopter Textron of Forth Worth, Texas; and the Government of Canada:  Bell-Helicopter-Textron has been awarded a 10-year contract for support services for the Canadian Forces CH146 Griffon fleet of multi-use helicopters.  A significant share of the contract consists of U.S. services exports, while the rest of the work will be performed by Bell Helicopter's Canadian facilities located in Mirabel, Quebec and Calgary, Alberta.  The U.S. Commercial Service at the U.S. Embassy in Canada has been a long term supporter of Bell in terms of advocacy, business intelligence, and counseling in its pursuit of major Canadian government contracts.
• Hamilton Sundstrand of Windsor Locks, Connecticut; and Bombardier Aerospace:  Hamilton Sundstrand has been awarded contracts to provide electrical systems and a wing high life system for the Bombardier Global 7000/8000 business jet platform.  Hamilton Sundstrand is the recipient of two major 2010 Bombardier awards, including the 2010 Bombardier achieving supplier excellence award. This is another example of the successful partnerships between U.S. and Canadian companies that the U.S. Commercial Service in Canada has facilitated.  
• Industrial Metals International, Ronkonkoma, New York;  and Bombardier Aerospace:  In the course of this trade mission, manufacturer Industrial Metals International has concluded a contract with Bombardier to supply specialized steel sheets.  Industrial Metals International has 48 employees at its 100,000 square foot facility in Ronkonkoma, New York.  It has supplied qualified metals, including bar, tube, and forgings in titanium, steel, nickel and other materials for more than 40 years.   The contract is a direct result of U.S. Commercial Service outreach, which facilitated pre-arranged meetings between the two companies that took place during the course of the U.S. aerospace trade mission.

In addition, as a result of this trade mission, a number of additional contracts and agreements have been reached or will be finalized in coming months.  The continued expansion of commercial partnerships are vital to cross-border trade and support many jobs across the United States and Canada.

With offices across the United States and in U.S. Embassies and Consulates in nearly 80 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration connects U.S. companies with international buyers.  Last fiscal year, the U.S. Commercial Service helped facilitate 12,300 export successes worth $34.8 billion in U.S. export sales.  For more information, visit www.trade.gov/cs or www.export.gov.  

SOURCE U.S. Commercial Service