The new Aerospace Industry Association of Michigan (AIAM) has launched.
The association’s mission is to be the voice of the more than 600 aerospace companies and organizations in Michigan, according to officials.
Michigan’s heritage in the aerospace industry spans more than 100 years with the University of Michigan’s aerospace engineering program, the oldest in the nation, that began not long after the historic Wright Brothers’ flight at Kitty Hawk.
The aerospace and automotive industry joined forces in 1941 during World War II when the Ford Motor Company’s Willow Run plant was converted into an aircraft assembly line where 42,000 workers produced one B-24 Liberator aircraft per hour.
The aerospace industry continued to quietly grow in Michigan in the shadows of the automotive industry for over 75 years.
According to Tony Vernaci, AIAM president, Michigan is recognized globally as a manufacturing powerhouse and is known for “making things.”
“The other asset is our workforce,” he continued. “Michigan continues to graduate more engineers per capita than anywhere else in the United States, so we have the talent ecosystem advantage for decades to come.”
Top priorities for AIAM include:
- Talent Attraction and Development,
- Legislative Advocacy in Lansing,
- Representation at key aerospace events around the world, and
- numerous Business Networking opportunities.
Membership in AIAM is open to companies in the aerospace industry plus non-aerospace companies considering an expansion of their products and service into the industry.
Membership information is on the association’s website at: http://aiamnow.com