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SPECIAL FEATURE AEROSPACE AND DEFENCE<br />
The value of networking<br />
DEFSEC event will have 70 companies exhibiting By Carol Dobson<br />
Every September, the world comes<br />
to Halifax in the form of the Canadian<br />
Defence Security and Aerospace Exhibition<br />
Atlantic (DEFSEC). For three days,<br />
this year from Sept. 6 to Sept. 8, approximately<br />
1,200 delegates from 12 countries<br />
around the world will come to Halifax to<br />
develop business to business and partnerships<br />
between leading suppliers in the<br />
defence and aerospace industry and<br />
members of the business community in<br />
Atlantic Canada.<br />
“This year we will be having 70<br />
companies exhibiting at 100 different<br />
booth spaces,” Colin Stephenson, the<br />
Executive Director of DEFSEC Atlantic,<br />
says. “The conference will take up<br />
50,000 sq. ft. of exhibition and business<br />
to business meeting opportunity spaces<br />
at the Cunard Centre. It gives large<br />
contractors involved in procurement<br />
for the Canadian Armed Forces the<br />
opportunity to meet with local small<br />
and medium sized businesses who can<br />
feed into their supply chain and, by<br />
meeting face to face, can get a sense<br />
if they might be a good fit.”<br />
DEFSEC Atlantic has an open door<br />
policy, whereby local companies are<br />
encouraged to attend. Not only is it a<br />
chance to open doors with companies<br />
supplying Canadian defence and aerospace<br />
requirements but also to meet<br />
with representatives from the other<br />
nations who have sent representatives<br />
to the conference.<br />
“The United States has a big block<br />
of booths,” he says. “Other countries<br />
that are attending include the United<br />
Kingdom, Germany, France, Sweden —<br />
mainly European countries.”<br />
One of the important reasons why<br />
these European countries are present is<br />
that Halifax, especially, is the gateway<br />
to the Maritime Provinces, and the rest<br />
of Canada, with its position on the Great<br />
Circle Route, a major advantage for companies<br />
shipping either into the country<br />
our out via the port.<br />
Not only will NATO allies be represented,<br />
but Stephenson says countries like<br />
Israel and Chile will also be in attendance.<br />
DEFSEC Atlantic is the second<br />
largest event of its kind in the country,<br />
combining the elements of both a<br />
The conference will take up 50,000 sq. ft. of exhibition<br />
and business to business meeting opportunity spaces at the<br />
Cunard Centre. It gives large contractors involved in procurement<br />
for the Canadian Armed Forces the opportunity<br />
to meet with local small and medium sized businesses who<br />
can feed into their supply chain and, by meeting face to<br />
face, can get a sense if they might be a good fit.”<br />
– Colin Stephenson, Executive Director, DEFSEC Atlantic<br />
trade show and a defence procurement<br />
conference. Throughout the three days<br />
of the event a mixture of seminars and<br />
social events, along with the trade show,<br />
provide excellent opportunities for one<br />
to one networking. The 2015 show had<br />
almost 400 companies represented,<br />
along with exhibitors, government<br />
agencies, and trade commissioners.<br />
At the event’s conclusion, more than<br />
100 business to business and business<br />
to government meetings had transpired.<br />
“This year one of the panels will be<br />
dealing with the human resources challenges<br />
facing the aerospace and defence<br />
industries in Atlantic Canada,” he says.<br />
“There is a great need for skilled workers<br />
“Representatives from DCNS present to Canadian<br />
sailors at DEFSEC Atlantic 2015”<br />
Photo: Greg Gidney<br />
in both of these fields. We’re anticipating<br />
heavy retirement in the aerospace<br />
industry as baby boomers start retiring.<br />
We also need skilled workers for the<br />
ship building project. Also, when highly<br />
trained and skilled members of the<br />
armed forces are transitioning out of the<br />
military, we need to have opportunities<br />
available for them.”<br />
Attendance at DEFSEC Atlantic<br />
is open to the private sector and is not<br />
restricted to members of any particular<br />
industry association. As well, members of<br />
the military are encouraged to attend as<br />
it is a chance for them to meet companies<br />
who may potentially have them as end<br />
users of the products on display.<br />
34 JULY & AUGUST 2016