One of the major factors that sets aerospace apart from most other manufacturing sectors is the length of its product lifecycles. The lifecycle of an aircraft from design to engineering to delivery takes years and even decades to complete. This reality directly influences other major trends in the industry, including R&D investments, supply chain management, and cost pressures.
Almost every major civil aircraft manufacturer is currently shifting from design to delivery. Aircraft orders have set record highs and backlog values have spiked in the last several years. Fierce competition to secure orders for new single aisle airliners has imposed strict cost pressures in order to meet expected profit margins; at the same time, the record-high order books have created unprecedented production volumes.
In fact, with global demand expected to increase by 6 percent annually over the next twenty years, strengthening our small businesses and helping them to expand and secure national and international customers is essential to the long-term competitiveness of the Canadian aerospace industry. The nature of small businesses mean that they face challenges not encountered by larger firms. AIAC is sensitive to these operational differences and understands that small businesses have specific concerns in dealing with government policy, with the public procurement system and with the wider aerospace marketplace.
Over the last several years, AIAC’s Board and Management Team have made recognition of a separate small business agenda a priority. In particular, AIAC has identified that creating an environment that encourages small business growth is critical to the health of the entire aerospace sector in Canada. In conjunction with the AIAC Small Business Committee, we have made good progress on various initiatives to support and encourage small business growth. We continue to build on these efforts in partnership with our members, stakeholders and with government.
Recent News & Updates
- Statement by AIAC on the latest extension of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy May 15, 2020
- Canada’s Aerospace Industry Hosts Successful Toronto Election Town Hall October 3, 2019
- Canada’s Aerospace Industry Hosts Successful Election Town Hall in Vancouver October 1, 2019
- Canada’s Aerospace Industry Hosts Successful Election Town Hall September 26, 2019
- Canada’s Aerospace Industry Charts a New Course for the Future June 17, 2019
- AIAC Committee Update – April 2019 April 12, 2019
- Jean Charest hosts AIAC’s Vision 2025 Aerospace Engagement Day in Halifax February 13, 2019
- Jean Charest hosts AIAC’s Vision 2025 Aerospace Engagement Day in Vancouver January 28, 2019
- Jean Charest hosts AIAC’s Vision 2025 Aerospace Engagement Day in Winnipeg January 22, 2019
- AIAC Committee Update – December 2018 December 17, 2018