Aerospace Cluster

The major components of the aerospace cluster includes aircraft manufacturing, guided missile and space vehicle manufacturing, and a few related components of instruments. This cluster vastly exceeds the average U.S. employment concentration ratio and the cluster is represented in a number of highly concentrated areas in the region.

2009 Action Items

Action Initiative	Action Initiative Area	Organization	Target Completion
Enact Governor's Aerospace Council recommendations	Aerospace	Aerospace Futures Alliance / Washington State Governor / Washington State Legislature	April 2009

What’s New: The Washington Aerospace Partnership
Announced on June 9, the Washington Aerospace Partnership is a coalition of civic, business and labor leaders, non-profit and economic development organizations, and individuals interested in securing our region’s future as the aerospace capital of the world. Specifically, the Washington Aerospace Partnership will work support the Boeing Company’s KC-767 tanker bid and keep Washington the world center for aerospace. The three co-chairs of the partnership are Rick Bender (AFL-CIO), Bob Drewel (Puget Sound Regional Council) and Tayloe Washburn (Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce). More information can be found at www.washington-aerospace.com.

Aerospace Futures Alliance of Washington
An important outgrowth of the Prosperity Partnership’s work in the aerospace cluster has been the creation of the first-ever state wide aerospace association, the Aerospace Futures Alliance of Washington. This organization provides networking and advocacy for the hundreds of aerospace companies and suppliers in our state, and helps to support the sustainable growth and development of this vital cluster in our region. For more information, visit www.afa-wa.com.

Cluster Strategy Development Background
In 2005, to target its work in supporting the aerospace cluster, the Prosperity Partnership formed an Aerospace Cluster Strategy Development Working Group tasked with identifying specific action initiatives to be implemented by 2010. A special thanks goes to the co-chairs of that working group:

   Rosemary Brester, President
   Hobart Machined Products
   www.hobartmachined.com

   John Quinlivan, VP and General Manager of 747, 767, 777 and 787
   Boeing (retired Mar 2005)
   www.boeing.com

The full Aerospace industry cluster strategy can be found starting on page 33 of the Prosperity Partnership's Regional Economic Strategy.

Contact
For more information, contact Chris Strow, cstrow@psrc.org, 206-971-3051