A Middle Georgia chamber of commerce group, the Warner Robins Area Aerospace Industry Committee and a Canadian organization, the Atlantic Alliance of Aerospace and Defense Associations, have signed a memorandum of understanding to promote trade and investment.
The agreement was signed at the Southeastern United States-Canadian Provinces Alliance conference in St. John’s Newfoundland.
The Warner Robins committee is part of the Warner Robins Area Chamber of Commerce. Warner Robins, near Macon, is home of Robins Air Force Base, which employs more than 25,000 people.
The Atlantic Alliance is a regional organization in Canada that promotes the aerospace and defense and homeland security sectors. It represents 280 companies employing more than 10,000 workers.
“This agreement is a shining success for the Southeast U.S.- Canadian Provinces Alliance, which was founded with the express purpose of enabling industries and communities to forge lasting and effective business partnerships,” Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue said in a news release. “We have made the aerospace sector, which holds tremendous growth potential for our state, one of Georgia’s strategic industries and a focus of our economic development strategy.”
Canada is Georgia’s largest trading partner. The country bought $4.8 billion worth of Georgia exports in 2008. Aerospace was Georgia’s top export category overall last year. Last year the state exported more than $2.5 billion in civil aircraft, engines, equipment and parts.
Georgia led the creation of the Southeastern U.S.-Canadian Provinces Alliance in 2007 with the goal of fostering trade and investment among the six states and seven provinces involved.
The alliance held its first annual meeting in Savannah in July 2008. This year’s conference, July 27-28, attracted about 200 delegates from the Southeast U.S. and Canada.