Aviation and aerospace leaders expect a historic showing of US industry at this year’s Paris Air Show, Kallman Worldwide, a strategic partner of the US Department of Commerce, announced on 11 May 2023.
Some 400 of the country’s leading OEMs and suppliers – the largest national presence ever – are slated to exhibit at the show’s Le Bourget site from 19-25 June. Of those, more than 300 will be located in the 6,500 m2 USA Partnership Pavilion in Hall 3, organised for the 15th editionby Kallman Worldwide.
More than half of the Pavilion exhibitors are small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 500 employees, reflecting the growing value and importance of these companies to the global supply chain, noted Tom Kallman, Kallman Worldwide President and CEO.
“SMEs are heroes of America’s export economy, and we work hard to make sure the Pavilion works for them,” he said. “For example, long before they hit the show floor, we co-ordinate with the US Departments of Commerce, Defense, State, Transportation, and the US Small Business Administration to help ensure our SME exhibitors have the funding, market intelligence, and logistical support they need to compete and win at Le Bourget.”
The US Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), a partner of the USA Partnership Pavilion with 29 association member companies on board as exhibitors, is a leading advocate for the critical role SMEs play in the United States’ economy and national security.
“AIA’s participation in the USA Partnership Pavilion at Paris underscores our commitment to engage with worldwide beneficiaries of American civil aviation, space, and defense products,” said AIA President and CEO Eric Fanning. “The Pavilion also provides us the opportunity to highlight that small- and medium-sized companies in the supply chain represent more than half of the value of all US aerospace and defense exports, reaching more than 200 countries. They are our industry’s and our country’s essential exporters.”
Several special interest areas within the Pavilion will further sharpen the focus on SMEs:
- Seventeen state departments of economic development and commerce will host their own state-branded pavilions featuring state-based small businesses.
- A new ‘Made in the USA’ SME Zone, created in collaboration with State International Development Organizations (SIDO), will feature 18 companies representing seven states. SIDO is the only national organisation focused on supporting governors’ international trade agendas by serving and representing the 50 state trade agencies to the federal government.
- Sixteen US-based start-up companies will participate in the show’s ‘Start-Me-Up Zone’: a programme introduced by organisers SIAE in 2019 to help qualifying start-ups stretch their show budgets.
“The SIDO ‘Made in the USA’ SME Zone provides a unique platform for states and businesses to participate in one of the most important international trade shows in the world,” said Andy Karellas, Executive Director at SIDO. “SMEs can collaborate and utilise our resources to execute their international sales and grow US exports. We are honoured to partner with Kallman Worldwide on this event.”
To learn more about SMEs attending the Paris Air Show this June, visit Sourcehere.com: the Official Digital Directory of the USA Partnership Pavilion.
