Updated at 6 PM Paris time.

The Alabama team completed up Day 2 of the 2025 Paris Air Show after engaging in a heavy meeting schedule, with appointments and impromptu meetings numbering over 20, leaving the team encouraged and optimistic about the mission.

“International aerospace companies continue to choose Alabama because we offer a business climate that is agile, responsive and built for long-term success,” said Bob Smith, the Alabama Department of Commerce’s specialist on the aerospace industry.

Smith and Veronica Crock, a Senior Project Manager at Commerce, will return to Le Bourget tomorrow morning for additional meetings in the U.S. Pavillion.

It’s inside this sprawling exhibition hall that you can quickly get a sense that business recruitment at the event is a brutally fierce competition.

In fact, the competition borders on insane.

At least 22 other states are represented within the Pavillon with exhibition booths (none more impressive than the “Made in Alabama” booth design, of course). In addition, there are U.S. cities, universities and other organizations with a presence in the vast hall.

Many of Alabama’s Southeastern neighbors/competitors are here — Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, both Carolinas. Major players from around the nation abound in the hall — California, Colorado, Virginia, Washington.

Plus, there are some unexpected competitors — New Hampshire, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and Utah.

The rivalry is sometimes friendly.

Earlier today, J.P. Nauseef, President and Chief Executive of Jobs Ohio, and colleagues from that state’s lead economic development agency, dropped by the “Made in Alabama” booth to greet Commerce Secretary Ellen McNair.

Posted at 1 PM Paris time.

Bob Smith, the Alabama Department of Commerce’s longtime aerospace industry specialist, is a seasoned veteran of the global air show circuit.

With more than 15 European shows under his belt, including both the Paris and Farnborough air shows, Smith has become a central figure in Alabama’s international business recruitment strategy.

At each event, he’s the one behind the scenes orchestrating the Commerce team’s calendar — lining up meetings with executives from major aerospace and defense firms like Airbus and United Launch Alliance (ULA). 

It’s part logistics, part diplomacy and all about making connections that count.

“I think the sky’s the limit for Alabama in aerospace, aviation and defense,” Smith said in an interview at the 2025 Paris Air Show. “Defense is holding strong, and we’re especially well-positioned for growth in missiles. 

“We’re also gaining ground fast in hypersonics and space, both in commercial and defense applications. ULA has a phenomenal track record and remains a strong anchor for our industry.”

On the commercial side, Alabama’s footprint is just as impressive. Airbus’ A320 Family aircraft, produced at its Mobile assembly line, has become the world’s best-selling passenger plane — and that success is rippling outward.

“We’re doing really well in commercial aircraft, no question,” Smith said. “And that success is becoming increasingly attractive to a growing number of suppliers. We expect that trend to accelerate.”

While Smith is focused on the future, he’s also proud of the wins Alabama has tallied at past air shows — many of which have been announced right there on the global stage.

“Over the years, we’ve been able to announce major projects at the air shows, and that’s been a big success for us,” he said. “When global industry leaders see that level of activity, it sends a strong message that Alabama is the real deal.”

One of those landmark moments came at the Farnborough International Airshow in 2014, when GE Aviation (now GE Aerospace) revealed plans to launch a pioneering additive manufacturing (3D printing) operation at its Auburn plant. 

It was a transformative investment, and Smith still considers it one of the most defining moments of his career.

“We worked with the City of Auburn’s team and developed a strategy and just went after it,” he said. “That 3D printing operation in Auburn didn’t just happen — it was the result of proactive, intentional effort. And to this day, it’s probably the most forward-leaning initiative I’ve ever been a part of.”

Posted at 11 AM Paris time.

PARIS — We’re ready to kick off Day 2 of the Alabama team’s mission to the 2025 Paris Air Show, the aerospace industry’s heavyweight trade event this year.

After gathering this morning at the “Made in Alabama” booth, the state team led by Ellen McNair, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, is looking at another busy day of appointments and impromptu meetings at the event.

Monday’s slate of appointments included talks with GE Aerospace, which operates futuristic manufacturing facilities in Auburn and Huntsville; United Launch Alliance, which operates the world’s largest rocket factory in Decatur; and Airbus, which builds aircraft at its growing U.S. manufacturing facility in Mobile.

Today’s scheduled meetings include Raytheon, which is expanding a missile factory in Huntsville, and Kratos, which operates an engineering facility focusing on hypersonics in Birmingham.

“The aerospace industry is central to Alabama’s economic future, and the Paris Air Show is the ideal venue to demonstrate the full scope of our capabilities—from commercial aviation to national defense and space exploration,” Secretary McNair said.

“The Paris Air Show gives us the opportunity to showcase what global aerospace leaders already know — Alabama delivers results, from manufacturing excellence to engineering talent and supply chain reliability,” she added.

Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed said this morning that he was looking forward to his team’s Day 2 meetings, which include a large company and another firm considering a future expansion. Monday, he engaged in company appointments and forged new contacts.

But the highlight of the day was an impromptu encounter with U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, which allowed the mayor to highlight infrastructure needs at Montgomery’s airport, where passenger jets share runways with cargo transports and F-35 fighters.

“I wouldn’t have been able to do that if I wasn’t here,” Reed said. He added: “That was really the whipped cream and cherry on top.”

Another plus for Reed, who is attending his first international air show: being able to watch teams from cities such as Huntsville and Mobile operate in the hyper-competitive environment.

“I’m really able to pick up on some best practices, and that’s valuable,” he said.