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 French Ambassador in Mexico Daniel André Joseph Parfait was in Chihuahua City last Monday to discuss new business opportunities for French companies in the State, where some French world-class firms like Labinal Safran, Zodiac and Manoir Industries already have a strong presence.
Parfait and State officials said representatives from 40 French aerospace suppliers will visit Chihuahua in December to explore business opportunities and to have a look at the State's competitive advantages and business support programs.
The French business mission is an initiative of Groupe Safran -who is interested in having suppliers close to its Chihuahua operations-, with support from Promexico -a federal economic development agency- and the State Government.
Parfait held a meeting with State Industrial Development Secretary Martha Lara Alatorre and officials from some of the French companies with operations in Chihuahua, namely Luis Carlos Ramírez (Zodiac Air Cruisers), Carlos Montoya (Zodiac Weber), Frederik Mathew (Manoir Industries), Pierre-Yves Chicoineau (Sofi), César Díaz de León (Labinal Safran), Carlos Herrera (Sofi), and State Industrial Promotion Director Adán Gómez Franco.
The French companies said Chihuahua's highly-trained workforce has been key for their growth, as well as the State's close coordination of educational-industrial efforts.
Labinal officials said that through the Epex program, which sends students to foreign countries to pursue specialized studies, has been very beneficial to their company, and asked Secretary Lara to continue the program.
Additionally, Chihuahuan universities as UACJ and UACH offer aeronautical engineering degrees, and Cenaltec, a technical educational center, has been training technicians according to the needs of aerospace and automotive companies in the State.
Parfait said he was pleased with the support French companies have received in Chihuahua State and promised to encourage new investments.
Ambassador Parfait also met Chihuahua City Mayor Carlos Borruel Baquera, who said Chihuahua could be in a position to assemble complete aircraft within eight years.
Frontpage photo courtesy of Groupe Safran |
Get over stereotypes! There is a couple of things you'd want know about the largest state of Mexico
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The most important archaeological site of Northern Mexico is located in the State of Chihuahua, at Paquimé
In Juarez, just across from El Paso, Texas, there is a museum with original parts of the great supersonic passenger jet