Business advocates in Vermont, Quebec and Connecticut have signed an agreement aimed at boosting trade in the aerospace industry.
The Vermont Chamber of Commerce entered into an agreement with Aero Montreal and Aerospace Components Manufacturers last Thursday, during an industry event in Essex Junction.
While the Vermont and Quebec groups have had an aerospace agreement in place for six years, the latter group, which represents companies in Connecticut and southwestern Massachusetts, is a new addition.
Chris Carrigan with the Vermont Chamber of Commerce said bringing in Connecticut manufacturers will increase business opportunities.
"It's also access to new partners, it's buyers, suppliers and just generating cross-border — and now, actually, additional — opportunities between Connecticut and Vermont," Carrigan said.
More from VPR on Vermont Edition: Flying Under The Radar: Vermont's Aerospace Industry [Sept. 17, 2018]
Paul Murphy, the executive director of Aerospace Components Manufacturers, said the aerospace industry needs to develop its workforce in the southern New England region.
"I think our biggest challenge is there [are] many opportunities out there, and it's getting this workforce ready," he said. "We're doing so much in Connecticut to try to do that, but maybe not getting quite the support that Vermont is getting."
That "support" in Vermont comes in the form of Gov. Phil Scott, who attended last week's signing event.
Vermont's aerospace sector accounts for $2 billion in economic output each year, according to the Vermont Chamber of Commerce. That includes $1 billion generated by the aerospace manufacturing sector in the state.
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