April 25, 2013, ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS The Rockford Area Aerospace Network (RAAN), a committee of the Rockford Area Economic Development Council (RAEDC), has just returned from successful participation in Aviation Weeks annual MRO Americas Conference and Exhibition. The conference, which took place April 16 18 in Atlanta, Ga., is the largest gathering of MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) professionals worldwide.

Participating in the event allowed RAAN and its members to connect with industry professionals and promote the Rockford regions key assets that specifically support commercial and cargo aircraft maintenance, repair, overhaul operations. Attracting a large MRO facility to the Rockford region would create hundreds of high-paying jobs for skilled workers and would help spur additional economic growth and investment in the Chicago Rockford International Airports (RFD) surrounding business parks. A large MRO facility could also help boost the UPS and international cargo activity at RFD, which would result in additional job creation and economic growth.

The main goals for RAAN at the convention were to identify opportunities for Rockford Area companies to grow their business through matchmaking and identify companies that can expand their business into the Rockford area.

MRO Show Outcomes:

I am pleased with the outcome of the show. We had several conversations with companies ready to expand in the Midwest and our region is on their radar, said Eric Voyles, RAEDC Vice President of National Business Development. People are starting to recognize Rockford as an aerospace hot spot its very exciting.

Participating in the event also gives RAAN members an opportunity to grow their business and secure new leads. Regional companies that exhibited with RAAN were Ingenium Technologies, Chicago Rockford International Airport and Midwest Aero Support, Inc. Individually, Chem Processing, B/E Aerospace, GE Aviation, Esterline, UTAS, Woodward and Emery Air also participated as exhibitors.

The Rockford Region is one of the largest epicenters of aerospace activity in the country, home to more than 200 suppliers. There are more than 90 aerospace suppliers in the Rockford metropolitan area alone. The region leads the state in aerospace manufacturing employment, with more than 80 percent of Illinois aerospace workplace being found in Rockfords metropolitan areas. This makes the Rockford metropolitan areasixth in thenation in terms of concentration of aerospace production employment and one of the largest in the nation in overall aerospace employment.

ABOUT THE ROCKFORD AREA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

The primary role of the Rockford Area Economic Development Council is to collaboratively enhance wealth creation in the Rockford Region by helping employers retain and create quality jobs while promoting the region. The RAEDC works closely with many partners to learn what existing and new employers need to grow and to serve as a one-stop resource for clients. The RAEDC seeks to improve the competitiveness of the region by taking what it learns from the regions employers engaging the community in the daily work of economic development to improve the competitiveness of the region.

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Rockford Area Aerospace Network Shares Results of MRO Show