Montréal, April 25, 2016 – Aéro Montréal, Québec’s aerospace cluster, in collaboration with CRIAQ, the Consortium for Research and Innovation in Aerospace in Québec, today opened the 5th edition of the Aerospace Innovation Forum under the theme “Collaborate globally to develop aerospace innovation.” More than 1,000 aerospace representatives from Canada and abroad are attending this important event on April 25 and 26 at the Palais des congrès de Montréal. “The Forum has become essential for aerospace stakeholders in Québec and internationally who want to learn about the latest technological advances, create collaborative projects between countries and generate business opportunities,” said Suzanne M. Benoît, President of Aéro Montréal. “We are proud to have onsite major prime contractors, equipment manufacturers, SMEs, research centres and educational institutions that are showcasing their creativity and expertise. The Aerospace Innovation Forum is very timely given the new orientations in aerospace strategies proposed in the recent Québec and federal budgets.
“The Forum is a meeting place of choice because this is where discussions are initiated that give rise to agreements and concrete projects between companies, research centres and universities in Québec and abroad.” said Fassi Kafyeke, Senior Director, Strategic Technology and Advanced Product Development at Bombardier who is co-chairing the event with Ms. Benoît. “This collaborative approach to innovation without borders differentiates the Aerospace Innovation Forum. It is a source of wealth creation for the Québec and Canadian aerospace sectors, which makes it even more competitive and appealing worldwide.” "In recent years, the Forum has contributed to the creation of collaborative projects and the signing of agreements with several countries in the European Union,” adds Mr. Kafyeke. “This year, we want the one-time projects that are underway with our neighbours to the south to move the next level, one of more sustained collaboration.”
One of the Forum's workshops focuses on ways to strengthen collaborative innovation between Canada and the United States. The digital revolution is also central to the subjects being discussed. Industry 4.0 is bringing many benefits in terms of productivity and quality and steering companies towards the “factory of the future” concept. Collaborative innovation can help to meet the challenges of advanced manufacturing and automation to create more innovative products for the aerospace industry. Participants are also taking part in plenary sessions, conferences, workshops and B2B meetings with more than 12 OEMs including Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Airbus, Bombardier, Pratt & Whitney Canada, CAE, Héroux-Devtek and many others. They will have access to a trade show and networking events. “Over 1,000 business meetings between Québec SMEs and large global OEMs are taking place during the Forum,” notes Ms. Benoît. The Aerospace Innovation Forum is part of International Aerospace Week – MONTRÉAL. Other major events during the week include the 8th CRIAQ Research Forum, a “Doing MRO in Canada” conference, the Aero Talents SMEs 2016 seminar, a series of sessions on the theme of drones, and a luncheon organized in partnership with the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montréal with keynote speaker Marc Parent, President and Chief Executive Officer of CAE.
About Aéro Montréal
Created in 2006, Aéro Montréal is a strategic think tank that groups all major decision makers in Québec's aerospace sector, including companies, educational and research institutions, as well as associations and unions.
Aéro Montréal’s mission is to engage Québec's aerospace cluster with a view to increasing its growth and expansion on the global scene. Its vision is to become a benchmark in global aerospace. To this end, it champions the following values: excellence, commitment, collaboration, integrity, agility and boldness.
