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"The American market is Israel Aircraft Industries' primary and largest market, and in the year 2000, we hope to reach a turnover of nearly a billion dollars," said Moshe Keret, President and CEO of Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd. to Mr. "Jeb" Bush, Governor of the State of Florida and his delegation, who visited the Company today (November 16) at its facilities in Lod.
Mr. Keret also emphasized that Israel Aircraft Industries has industrial footholds in two centers in the United States. The first one, located in Florida, is Commodore Aviation, which provides maintenance services to airlines at Miami International Airport. The second, Galaxy Aerospace Corporation, which is located at Alliance Airport in Ft. Worth, Texas, performs the completion (installation of interiors, avionics and engines) as well as marketing of IAI's Galaxy and Astra SPX executive jets. In addition, Mr. Keret said that the Company has extensive activity in its diverse fields of operation with the industry's leading companies, such as Boeing, Lockheed-Martin and others. "We expect to significantly expand these activities through joint ventures in the United States during the next five years. This expansion may also be realized through the establishment of additional business operations in the State of Florida," added the IAI chief executive.
Mr. Jeb Bush thanked them for offering him the opportunity to see Israel Aircraft Industries'activities up close and to tour its facilities.
"We are proud of Commodore Aviation, which is based in Miami. The Company is in a place that we want to continue to develop and invest in, and all of us hope that we will be able to promote additional investments in cooperation with Israel Aircraft Industries and its facilities in the area," said Mr. Bush.
Mr. David Arzi, IAI Corporate Vice President and Chairman of the Board of Commodore Aviation, said in reply to a question, that the Company plans to expand its infrastructure through additional business on the premises, and he hopes to receive the support of the Governor of Florida when doing this.
Mr. Arzi led the guests on a tour of the IAI Bedek Aviation Group. There they were able to view the wide range of services offered to American and other international airlines in the way of heavy aircraft maintenance and overhaul, and cargo conversions. The guests then toured the production and final assembly line of the Galaxy intercontinental executive jet.
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