FARNBOROUGH, England — Attending the biggest aviation air show of the year, Farnborough International Air Show, is Wendy Poischbeg, the Greater Everett Chamber of Commerce CEO. She’s sharing this report on the ground from the biennial gathering of aerospace and defense manufacturers, including Boeing.
Poischbeg’s goal at the global industry event is to recruit more businesses, jobs and economic activity to Everett and Snohomish County. Poischbeg tells the EverettPost.com, “It has been a great show. The Washington State Department of Commerce delegation includes 18 companies, along with state and regional leadership. I’ve met with a number of businesses that could be a strong fit for the Everett ecosystem, particularly in aerospace, space and advanced manufacturing.
“One of the most valuable parts of being here has been the opportunity to talk directly about what makes Everett and Snohomish County competitive. We already have a highly skilled workforce with experience in assembly, production, engineering and design, along with a strong network of training and workforce development resources. Those capabilities continue to be a major point of interest in my conversations.
“A few trends are standing out. There is a significant focus on drone capabilities and eVTOL (vertical take-off and landing) technologies. The presence of some emerging technology companies feels smaller than in previous years, possibly because of continued consolidation and larger companies acquiring promising technologies.
“AI is also being integrated across nearly every part of the industry. That is increasing competition and putting even more pressure on companies to move quickly. Speed to market is becoming a major advantage. We continue to see a number of space-focused companies expanding or pivoting into satellites, drones and related technologies. There is growing overlap between aerospace, space, defense and advanced manufacturing.
“The questions I am hearing most often relate to talent and workforce capacity, particularly whether a region can support assembly, production and engineering as companies grow. This is where Everett shines.”
Among the selling points Poischbeg is delivering to aviation suppliers and manufacturers are these strengths centered in Everett.
- Everett puts businesses next to Boeing’s assembly lines at Paine Field, the workforce, and the supply chain, with a direct path into the US market.
- Everett is where the next era of flight is taking shape. Electric propulsion from magniX, hydrogen-electric work from ZeroAvia, and the country’s first sustainable aviation fuel research center all sit in the same corridor.
- Decades of aerospace talent, an established supplier network, and training pipelines through local colleges and Washington State University. The cluster is built, not promised.
- Reduced aerospace business tax rates and sales tax exemptions for manufacturers and repair operators, in place through 2040. A competitive operating position next to the OEM.
- The Port of Everett is a natural deep-water seaport supporting roughly $21 billion in US exports each year and ranks as Washington’s number two export customs district. It is the region’s premier facility for breakbulk and oversized cargo, and already moves the largest aerospace components for the 737, 767, 777, 777X, and KC-46 tanker programs.
- 200+ aerospace firms in Snohomish County.
- 38,000+ aerospace workers in Snohomish County.
Ten Boeing 777X jets were refused for delivery by Emirates during the air show Tuesday. In a terse statement, Emirates President, Sir Tim Clark, told the publication The Telegraph, “We’re not taking that batch and that’s it. As far as we’re concerned, what they do with them is up to them.” The ten 777X jets were part of a larger order of 270 dating back to 2019, but design changes and modifications have caused delays that Clark says Emirates will not pay for the updates on the planes.
The FIA concludes on Thursday.