Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Francisco Sánchez will highlight the importance of aerospace and defense industry exports to strengthening the American economy and creating jobs during his “Made in America” tour stop in the Phoenix area, on August 21.
Sánchez will discuss export opportunities with local aerospace industry leaders at a roundtable hosted by the Arizona District Export Council in Scottsdale. He will tour the Kaiser Aluminum Alexco facility in Chandler, and the Nivisys Industries manufacturing plant in Tempe, to see first-hand how exporting can help Arizona companies. Sánchez will present U.S. Department of Commerce Export Achievement Certificates to both firms to recognize their recent export successes.
Aerospace is an important export industry that will help achieve the goals of President Obama’s National Export Initiative to double U.S. exports by the end of 2014. The U.S. aerospace industry supports more jobs through exports than any other manufacturing industry. According to the Arizona Commerce Authority, in 2009, Arizona’s aerospace and defense companies employed 39,400 individuals with a total payroll of $4.3 billion. Purchases of goods and services by aerospace and defense companies from Arizona suppliers generate 17,000 jobs and labor income of $1.1 billion.
