The aerospace industry in Waterloo is soaring towards a sustainable future. Home to a wide range of companies specializing in everything from components to platforms to pilotless planes, Waterloo is proving that there are no limits to aerospace innovation.
Waterloo is known for many things: its thriving tech ecosystem, rich manufacturing history, leading post-secondary institutions and more. It has also been building a first-class reputation in the aerospace sector as the home of 85+ companies that are shaping the future of the industry. More on those in a minute.
We’re also helping the next generation of aeronautic talent lift off through the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Aeronautics (WISA). Led by Dr. Suzanne Kearns at the University of Waterloo, WISA is the world’s leading hub for sustainable aviation and aerospace research, technology and education. The university also has the largest aviation program in Canada.
Plus, we have a window seat to all the exciting developments in the industry, with our very own Region of Waterloo International Airport (YKF), a key contributor to our local economy, and Canada’s busiest airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), within an 85km (53mi) drive.
With that, let’s explore 10 aerospace companies that are propelling innovation in Waterloo.
Editor’s note: Waterloo is made up of three cities and four townships that make up Waterloo Region. We have identified where each company resides in our community in parentheses below.
Honeywell Aerospace
Honeywell Aerospace (Cambridge) is known for its advanced automation and robotics technologies for aerospace applications. The company offers a range of product lines such as avionics, engines and mechanical systems, catering to both commercial and military aircraft as well as unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and space exploration. In fact, Honeywell has contributed two vital elements to the James Webb Space Telescope, the most complex and powerful space telescope ever built.
Teledyne FLIR
Teledyne FLIR (Waterloo), a subsidiary of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, is a well-known brand in the international aerospace industry. Specializing in aerospace and defense technologies, the company designs and manufactures thermal imaging and sensing systems used in aircraft for surveillance, target tracking and various other applications.
Héroux-Devtek
Known for producing high-quality aerospace and industrial products, Héroux-Devtek (Cambridge) is the world’s third largest landing gear manufacturer, supplying both the commercial and military sectors with components as well as aftermarket products and services. Their state-of-the-art plant spans an expansive 108,000 square feet and houses their centre of excellence for machining B-777 components.
Shimco
Shimco (Cambridge) is a leading supplier of aerospace gap management solutions in Canada and Latin America. Many of the world’s aerospace Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and Tier 1 suppliers are customers of Shimco. Its high-quality manufacturing products, including aerospace-grade shims, shim materials, precision machined parts, metal surface treatments and wireless sensors, are known for exceeding customers’ standards.
Magellan Aerospace
Magellan Aerospace (Kitchener) is a global aerospace company that specializes in the design, development and production of aircraft components and systems for major global aerospace companies. Their Kitchener location focuses on producing landing gear and wing/fuselage components using thin wall, distortion-free structural titanium.
AVIDRONE Aerospace
Headquartered at the Waterloo Region International Airport, AVIDRONE Aerospace (Woolwich) excels in aerospace engineering and manufacturing custom unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technologies. The company was founded on over 20 years of National and World Championship-winning experience combined with thousands of commercial flight operation missions and a veteran team of highly motivated innovators.
Centra Industries
Centra Industries Inc. (Cambridge) is a global leader in integrated aerostructures that partners with major industry players like Boeing, Bombardier and Airbus. The company specializes in manufacturing complex components and assemblies, including landing gear and engine components, and has made significant investments in advanced manufacturing technologies, employing robotics and automation to improve efficiency and quality in its production processes.
Skywatch
Founded by three University of Waterloo alumni in 2014, Skywatch (Waterloo) is a technology platform that provides earth observation data accessible to aerospace organizations and solution providers. Notably, the space data technology company actively participates in Waterloo’s local startup incubator programs, including Velocity and Communitech, contributing to the region’s vibrant startup ecosystem.
Did you know?
Waterloo has the 3rd largest aerospace sector in Ontario based on the number of employees.
Ribbit
Ribbit (Waterloo) is a venture-backed startup company, founded by University of Waterloo alumni, Jeremy C.H. Wang, that uses autonomous flight technology to transport cargo to remote communities. By delivering just-in-time shipments to hard-to-reach areas with no pilots on board, Ribbit is helping to create a more robust supply chain and make the future of air more inclusive and sustainable.
Chartright Air Group
Chartright (Woolwich) is Canada’s largest private jet charter provider, offering a range of services, including private jet and helicopter charters, aircraft management, maintenance, acquisition advice and fixed-base operations (FBO). This spring, the company opened a new FBO called “Hangar 53” at the Waterloo Region International Airport. The modern, 50,000 square-foot facility provides Canadian customs and immigration services and is a convenient alternative to busy Toronto airports.
Waterloo’s dynamic ecosystem will continue to drive advancements in the aerospace industry. Get in touch with our team to embark on your expansion journey.