S.C. and Ala. officials travel to Farnborough; economy keeps Wash. leaders home
Published 2:26 pm Monday, July 19, 2010
The tough economy kept leaders from Washington state from attending the Farnborough Air Show this year.
But the economy didn’t keep the state’s rivals from the South from going to the show.
South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford and representatives from the state commerce department as well as U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham are at teh air show outside London, England, to promote that state’s growing aerospace business. Boeing announced last year that it’s locating a second 787 final assembly line in Charleston. The company has since said it will add a 787 interiors fabrication site there, too.
From the Charleston Regional Business Journal:
“With the success our state has had over the last year in attracting aerospace investment, I wanted to maximize my time left as governor in working with the Department of Commerce to make this the beginning of a new era in South Carolina’s economic history,” Gov. Sanford said. “What we’re witnessing, I believe, is South Carolina taking the lead in attracting investment in an industry that’s only going to grow in importance around the globe. Indeed, it’s our vision to make our state the international aerospace market’s leading competitor in the Southeastern United States.”
Alabama Gov. Bob Riley told the AP last Friday that he hopes to announce a deal from Farnborough this week to bring 300 aerospace jobs to that state. He’s at Farnborough to “woo” potential aerial refueling tanker suppliers to Alabama, reports The Birmingham News.
A delegation of representatives from Alabama (including Mobile County, where EADS would build its U.S. Air Force tanker if awarded the contract) toured EADS’ facility in Madrid and Airbus’ site in Toulouse last weekend before the air show began.
Six companies from Washington will be at the air show, where Washington has an exhibit. No Washington state politicians or commerce department officials are at the air show.
