(WICHITA, Kan.) — Aircraftmaker Airbus is reaching out to Kansas aviation suppliers with a Wichita event called the Air Capital Supplier Summit.
Monday's event is hosted by U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran and Airbus Americas chairman Allan McArtor. It comes just months after the aircraft maker's biggest competitor, Boeing, announced plans to close its defense plant in Wichita.
The conference is designed to increase business between Kansas companies and Airbus. More than 200 representatives from about 90 companies are expected to meet with Airbus representatives at the National Center for Aviation Training.
Kansas' aerospace industry encompasses more than 450 companies and accounts for more than 32,000 direct jobs. Airbus has an engineering center in Wichita where it employs more than 350 people.
"It was very exciting we got a meeting with them, a one on one," said Janeway Machines president Tonya Janeway.
Airbus is taking names and handshakes at the Air Capital Supply Summit. The company hopes to attract businesses with the most innovative ideas and suppliers to meet the demand of their multi-billion dollar company.
"Our production capabalities are growing very rapidly. Our global reach, expansion is also growing, the $12 billion a year we spend in the United States, and our objective is to double that," said Airbus chairman Allan McArtor.
