Aerospace Industry in Sonora Keeps Making Progress

The West Mexican State of Sonora manufactures 18.4% of the country's aerospace parts. The state is home to one of the fastest growing aerospace industry clusters in the Mexican Republic, and is the source of $110 million export dollars in annual revenue since 2010. The sector has created more than nine thousand private sector jobs, mainly in the cities of Guaymas, Empalme, and Nogales to date.

The aerospace industry in Sonora is particularly well-developed in the area of precision aerospace machining.  In addition to a number of state-of-the–art CNC machine shops, the Guaymas and Empalme area, on the Sea of Cortez, includes companies that are engaged in production of precision aerospace castings, as well as the production of turbine blades and engine components for major aerospace OEMs.

In Guaymas, private industry, government and the public schools are busy partnering to prepare students with the skills required to be able to benefit from future investment in the sector in the form of skilled and good paying jobs.  Students in the area have the opportunity participate in courses in Applied Mathematics, Metrology and basic CNC machining skills. 

Local Investment

Rolls-Royce holds a research and development branch for their aviation sector in Guaymas to help expand its supply chain entity that has resulted in aerospace industry growth for Sonora in the long term.

Since 2011, there has been a vacuum heat-treatment facility in Empalme at The Offshore Group’s Bella Vista Industrial Park.  Having this critical secondary process in place has opened up opportunities for aerospace manufacturers to produce items that require heat-treating for their elaboration.

The top 10 aerospace parts currently produced in the Aerospace industry in Sonora:

• Investment casting, machining & secondary process of turbine blades.
• Nickel base alloy, other exotic metals & aluminum machined parts
• Aluminum  and magnesium sand cased components
• Machined hydraulic system components
• Composite plenum parts and fluid distribution system components
• Composite cabin interior components
• Sheet metal forming and final assemblies of spoilers
• Assembly of fuel meters, brake system components, hydraulic system valves
• Aerospace wire harness assembly

Training Facility in Guaymas

Aerospace manufacturing in Sonora has become one of Mexico's most competitive industry clusters that enables economic growth throughout the country, and even North America. This is mainly due to a new training facility in Guaymas that teaches the appropriate skills needed for specific aerospace operations. More specifically, the training facility teaches human development aspect of working within a manufacturing operation, to enable employees to become comfortable in a manufacturing environment and excel in a factory setting.