Enterprise Florida’s (EFI) staff-led trade mission to the Dubai Airshow last year produced more than $17 million in export commitments for the seven small and mid-sized companies in attendance. The show, held November 12-16 in Dubai, is the leading aerospace event in the Middle East.
“Florida’s strong foundation of aviation and aerospace companies continues to make the state a world leader,” said Manny Mencia, EFI’s VP for International Trade. “The state is home to nearly 2,200 companies in this sector; most are small and medium-sized businesses. Trade shows like the Dubai event allow those companies to exhibit their products and services to a global audience and, ultimately, grow through export sales.”
Florida has long been the world’s premier gateway to space; a hub for flight training; the global leader in maintenance, repair and overhaul; and home to leading manufacturers of all types of aircraft and aircraft components. The state has a robust supply chain and talent pool benefiting industry leaders like Boeing, Embraer, Harris Corporation, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, SpaceX, United Launch Alliance and many more that have major operations here.
Seven aerospace and aviation companies exhibited their products and services at EFI’s Florida Pavilion including:
- Aircraft Support and Services, Inc. – Orlando
- Associated Aircraft Manufacturing & Sales, Inc. – Ft. Lauderdale
- Breezer Holdings LLC dba Power Breezer – Deerfield Beach
- Global Turbine Parts – Jupiter
- JBT AeroTech – Orlando
- Loos & Co., Inc. – Naples
- Turbopower – Opa Locka
Phil Cox, sales director for Loos & Co., Inc. said, “This was the first time Loos & Co could exhibit in Dubai. We are a relatively small company and, without the trade grant, we would not have been able to exhibit. Thanks to our excellent location provided by Enterprise Florida, we were able to contact new customers and new markets previously unavailable to us. We have several promising new prospects who are very interested in distributing our products in the Middle East.”
“Participating in events such as the Dubai Airshow gives us an opportunity to meet with both current customers as well as potential new customers in a controlled business environment,” said Dennis Zalupski, CEO of Associated Aircraft Manufacturing & Sales, Inc. in Ft. Lauderdale. “Rather than having to travel to each and every country, this gives us a cost-effective way to meet with a large number of potential clients in a short period of time. If it weren’t for Enterprise Florida and the support we get from them, I doubt we could afford to participate in most of the big aviation shows.”
EFI maintains an extensive schedule of overseas trade missions and exhibitions worldwide. In fiscal year 2016-17, more than 500 small and mid-sized Florida businesses reported $738 million in total export sales following international events.
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Enterprise Florida, Inc. (EFI) is a partnership between Florida’s businesses and government leaders and is the principal economic development organization for Florida. EFI facilitates job growth through recruitment and retention, international trade and exporting, promotion of sporting events, and capital funding programs to assist small and minority businesses. EFI launched “Florida – The Future is Here” to promote the state as the nation’s premier business destination.
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