fDi’s Aerospace Cities of the Future 2018/19 – FDI Strategy

Brazil’s São José dos Campos, with its high concentration of research companies in the aerospace sector, finishes first in fDi’s Aerospace Cities of the Future 2018/19 FDI Strategy ranking. The city has a team of seven staff dedicated to promoting investment in the aerospace sector and is home to the Brazilian Aerospace Cluster, which encourages co-operation between 100 large, medium and small companies. The companies involved aim to establish partnerships to promote economic and social development.

Additionally, the city boasts a high volume of land for the development of the aerospace sector, including an area close to the airport that is suitable for large-scale operations, such as a maintenance and repair facility or a logistics campus.

The Technology Park of São José dos Campos measures 188,000 square metres, and houses the Brazilian Aerospace Cluster. Technology companies based in the park have access to commercial space and infrastructure, as well as management training programmes and the opportunity to promote their business-to-research organisations and funding bodies.

Mississauga’s major cluster

Home to Pearson International Airport – the main point of connection for international visitors to Toronto – Mississauga is second in the FDI Strategy ranking. The city’s aerospace cluster is the largest (in terms of number of businesses and employment figures) of all major centres in Canada. More than C$31bn ($24bn) is exported through Pearson International Airport, which represents 4% of Ontario’s total GDP.

The city’s economic development department recently employed an advanced manufacturing business integrator, who works directly with companies on a range of topics from supply chain and export market development to business-to-business connections and workforce assistance, making their investment as successful a transition as possible. 

Sitting on the Ohio river in the south of the state, Cincinnati is third in the FDI Strategy ranking. Greater Cincinnati is home to more than 185,806 square metres of office space and nearly 525 hectares of industrial land available to investors. The Southwest Ohio Aerospace Region is local to the city, comprising more than 12,000 employees and 69 companies.

It is also the base for the city’s AeroHub accelerator, which aims to strengthen the supply chain for aerospace companies, and acts as an incubator where investors can be nurtured and grow their business. The incubator is located just next to GE Aviation’s facility in the city, and encourages relationships with the University of Cincinnati Research Institute and Cincinnati State Technical and Community College.

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