Aéro Montréal calls for MACH Initiative's third cohort nominations

LE BOURGET, France, June 18, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - With Nicolas Marceau, Minister of Finance & the Economy, in attendance, Aéro Montréal, Québec's aerospace cluster, today called for the MACH Initiative's third cohort nominations. This initiative aims to maximize the performance of the Québec aerospace supply chain and increase its competitiveness internationally.

"Since its launch in 2011, the MACH Initiative has demonstrated that it can effectively meet the need for Québec suppliers to enhance their competitiveness," said Sylvain Bédard, Chairman of Aéro Montréal's Supply Chain Development Working Group and Chief Executive Officer of Avianor. "The companies in this rigorous program have already optimized their operations, enhancing the overall fluidity and performance of Quebec's aerospace supply chain."

"The MACH Initiative, the result of the Supply Chain Development Working Group's efforts, stems from joint discussions between members of the cluster and, consequently, aims to be a unifying process that accelerates the transformation of our supply chain and supports the long-term growth of the sector," said Suzanne M. Benoît, President of Aéro Montréal.

"The Government of Quebec is proud to support this initiative, which offers innovative solutions to the challenges facing the aerospace supply chain and, in turn, helps place Québec and Québec-based companies in the same league as today's global leaders," claimed Nicolas Marceau, Québec Minister of Finance and the Economy.

The third MACH cohort, which begins operations in September 2013, will consist of 11 new suppliers selected from the upcoming round of nominations. This will bring the number of companies participating in the initiative to 40. The nomination period runs from June 18 to August 16.

MACH Initiative

The MACH Initiative's goal is to strengthen companies and the structure of the aerospace supply chain by leveraging the special collaborative bonds between customers and suppliers to develop a base of Tier 1 suppliers who can actively participate in future local and global aerospace programs. It ultimately aims to develop a world-class supply chain.

Based on a program designed to enhance the competitiveness of suppliers, including a performance label, the MACH Initiative provides a framework for excellence that enables suppliers to position themselves, identify improvement opportunities and act upon them. The program aims to develop a base of more productive SME subcontractors with distinctive skills that are better aligned with OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers, and who champion the best business practices and new innovative production technologies.

Today, the MACH Initiative has, in its ranks, 29 suppliers sponsored by 17 contractors, including Bombardier Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney Canada, CAE Inc., Bell Helicopter Textron Canada, Héroux-Devtek, L-3 Communications MAS, Sonaca Montreal, Mecachrome, ASCO and Messier-Bugatti-Dowty.

About MACH Initiative's Financing

The MACH Initiative is financed by the Quebec Ministry of Finance and the Economy, Commission des partenaires du marché du travail, Canada Economic Development, Communauté Métropolitaine de Montréal, Quebec Ministry of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy and Aéro Montréal strategic partner Aluminerie Alouette Inc.

About Aéro Montréal

Aéro Montréal, Québec's aerospace cluster, is a strategic think tank that groups all the major decision makers in Québec's aerospace sector, including companies, educational and research institutions, associations and unions.

Aéro Montréal's mission is to mobilize industry players around common goals and concerted actions to increase the cohesion and optimize competitiveness of Québec's aerospace cluster. It aims to foster the growth and expansion of the cluster so as to ensure that it may continue to create wealth for Montréal, Québec and Canada. www.aeromontreal.ca

SOURCE: Aéro Montréal

For further information:

Amélie Hudon
Director, Communications & Strategy
Aéro Montréal
Tel.: + 1 514 262-8417
amelie.hudon@aeromontreal.ca