Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson is leading a delegation Alabama economic developers who have traveled to Germany this week for the 2013 Hamburg Aviation Forum. The delegation is working to entice aviation suppliers to locate in Alabama.

The conference in Hamburg largely attracts suppliers looking to work with aerospace giant Airbus, which is currently building a manufacturing facility in Mobile expected to begin operations in 2015.

Alabama Secretary of Commerce Greg Canfield was not able to join the delegation because of an illness, but said he believes Alabama is well positioned to attract suppliers who are looking to set up shop in the United States.

“The Aviation Forum gives Alabama the opportunity to get in front of dozens of companies who will be looking to support the Airbus final assembly in Mobile,” Canfield said. “Our goal is to make sure each and every one of those companies know about the development sites, infrastructure and opportunities in Alabama should they consider a location in our state in support of the Airbus Mobile operations.”

Alabama’s delegation will also visit with Airbus company leaders and take a tour of the Airbus Hamburg plant while in Germany.

Joining Mayor Stimpson in the delegation are officials from the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, the Mobile Airport Authority, the Alabama State Docks and the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance.

In addition to the efforts to attract Airbus suppliers, Alabama leaders are currently wooing a Boeing 777x aircraft plant, which the company is considering building in the Huntsville area. Alabama’s congressional delegation recently sent a letter to Boeing’s president and CEO making the case for building the plant in north Alabama, which has a long history in the aerospace industry.

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