Prime Minister Visits Waikato Aviation Cluster
The Waikato region is set to turn out its 1000th locally-manufactured aircraft during 2009. And this morning, Prime Minister, John Key, was on hand at Hamilton-based Pacific Aerospace to learn more about the strength of the Waikato region’s aircraft manufacturers and aviation industry service providers.
Waikato Aviation Cluster Chairman and CEO of CTC Aviation NZ Ltd, John Jones, said the strength of the region’s aviation cluster of companies was visually evident to the Prime Minister, with seven regionally-manufactured aircraft in one place.
“The Waikato region’s aircraft manufacturing industry was born over fifty years ago, and for the first time in the region’s history we had all but one of the locally manufactured aircraft together in one place. This was a powerful image, demonstrating the strength of the local aviation industry,” explained Mr Jones
Many of the 30+ Waikato Aviation Cluster members were also present to greet the Prime Minister, representing the region’s aviation services, aircraft maintenance, pilot training, flight operators and supply chain providers.
“The Waikato region is a formidable player in the international light aircraft industry. It was great for our cluster members to have the opportunity to speak with the Prime Minister about the cluster’s depth as an industry and, more importantly, our aggressive plans for the future,” said Mr Jones.
The aircraft present at the Prime Minister’s visit included: three models manufactured by Pacific Aerospace - the P750XL, CT/4C and Cresco; Alpha Aviation’s Alpha 160A Trainer; MicroAviation’s Bantam Microlight; Autoflight’s Gyrocopter and a model of a new amphibian aircraft prototype to be manufactured by Shearwater.
One other locally-manufactured aircraft - the Furio, made by Falcomposite in Ardmore – was bound for an aviation show overseas and not present. Although the company geographically sits slightly outside the regional boundary, Falcomposite is a member of the Waikato Aviation Cluster.
Waikato Aviation Cluster CEO, Stuart Gordon, said the Prime Minister was informed of the cluster’s growth plans and was asked for continued Government support to tap into the industry’s high growth potential.
“Our cluster of aviation companies has collectively developed a strategy to significantly grow the local industry over the next four years and to provide high-paying, skilled jobs in the Waikato.
“Our strategic objectives include increasing annual manufacturing output three-fold, increasing annual pilot training numbers at CTC by seventy-five percent, establishing a specialist aircraft paint facility, and getting a specialist heat treatment plant up and running. We’re also working to grow the local aviation industry subcontractor community.
“All of these plans require significant funding and our aim is to work with Government so that we can resource these initiatives properly going forward. As these objectives become reality, we’ll be able to create more jobs and increase regional and national economic wealth through exports,” said Mr Gordon.
The Prime Minister was hosted at Pacific Aerospace and was given a tour of the company’s manufacturing facility. The company’s CEO, Damian Camp, outlined how Pacific Aerospace significantly increased their manufacturing efficiency through the implementation of a programme called ‘Lean Manufacturing.’
“Lean Manufacturing has transformed Pacific Aerospace. We began implementing Lean Manufacturing in April 2008 and so far we have achieved tremendous results with a 40% increase in production output so far. The best change has been a complete turnaround in company culture where our employees are the main instigators for change by implementing the improvements that they have identified.
“Our key message to the Prime Minister today is that Lean Manufacturing could be one high-impact solution that Government could support to help New Zealand manufacturers get through the current recession and come out the other end ready to attack a new set of opportunities,” explained Mr Camp.
-ENDS-
Media Contacts:
Stuart Gordon, CEO
Waikato Aviation Cluster
Stuart.gordon@xtra.co.nz
0274 765 821
John Jones, Chairman
Waikato Aviation Cluster
CEO of CTC Aviation NZ Ltd
John.jones@ctcaviation.com
O275 367 359
Heather Claycomb
HMC Communications
021 751 051
heather@hmc-communications.co.nz
