The fast-growing appetite of China's aerostructures manufacturers for steel, aluminium and titanium has lured Jerry Bashir to Asian Aerospace for the first time.

Bashir is chief executive of Florida-based family firm Falcon Aerospace, a supplier of industrial metals which he founded in 1994. The company already sells to customers in 30 countries and 60% of its revenue comes from outside the USA. Bashir sees China as its biggest potential market.

"There are tremendous growth prospects here. This is the time to move," he says.

Falcon sources from producers of raw materials around the world and stocks and prepares them at its 3,000m2 facility at Weston, which employs 27 people. "We buy in bulk and carry inventory. We also cut, grind and polish," explains Bashir. Its business model is based on allowing its customers to operate with lean stock. "Today's business culture is all about pushing down inventory risk to the lowest denominator," he says.

Source: Flight Daily News