Global Expansion For Bombardier

It’s a small world, and the aviation industry is globalizing and outsourcing — Mexico has attracted Raytheon for wire harness work and Cessna has announced plans to follow. Last week, Bombardier Aerospace announced it will open a manufacturing plant in Queretaro, Mexico, in an effort to cut operating costs and boost profits. The company will invest about $200 million there over the next seven years. The new facility will manufacture and assemble wire harnesses for Bombardier aircraft. Will the change mean jobs lost in the company’s current workforce? Bombardier said it is “in the process of evaluating the impact of the transfer of these activities.” By late next year, the new facility is scheduled to start manufacturing major structural aircraft components currently being built by Bombardier Aerospace suppliers. By the end of 2006, employment at the Queretaro facility is expected to reach 300 workers and increase to 600 by the end of 2007.