COSTA MESA, Calif., Nov. 28, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- In response to an upsurge of merger and acquisition activity in the aerospace and defense (A&D) sector, North American and European business leaders assembled for RSM EquiCo's Aerospace and Defense Symposium to discuss timely industry-oriented issues ranging from fluctuating spending cycles to manufacturing trends and the resurgence of active industry consolidation.
Conducted on November 2, 2005, at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort & Spa in Dana Point, Calif., the half-day event addressed key issues faced by industry players and featured several top professionals in the field, including:
-- John Meersman, director of corporate & strategic development for
The Boeing Company, the world's largest aerospace company and a
leader in commercial jets manufacturing and defense contracting,
spoke about the competing business strategies and key differences
in forecasting between Boeing and Airbus;
-- Andrew Moss, chief executive of composites division for UMECO
plc, an international provider of value-added distribution
services and composite materials to the A&D industry, addressed
the trend toward composite versus metal manufacturing;
-- Adrian Lismore, managing director and head of energy marketing
structure for SG CIB, the investment-banking arm of the Societe
Generale Group, discussed the model that SG uses to forecast oil
prices as well as the impact of increasing fuel prices; and
-- John Reimers, former chairman and chief executive officer of
Compass Aerospace, a manufacturer of structural components and
assemblies to aircraft OEMs worldwide that was recently acquired
by Synchronous Aerospace, shared his extensive M&A experience in
the A&D industry and the trend toward consolidation among the
supplier base.
A&D experts Hector J. Cuellar, president of RSM EquiCo Capital Markets, the broker-dealer subsidiary of RSM EquiCo, and Paul Weisbrich, senior managing director and co-leader of RSM EquiCo's Aerospace & Defense practice, covered current middle-market valuations. "The rapid expansion of global travel is creating tremendous growth in the aerospace sector," said Cuellar. "In the meantime, the vast U.S. defense industry faces potential challenges that need to be monitored by suppliers and others within the industry, including those considering acquisitions."
According to Cuellar, RSM EquiCo professionals were overwhelmed by the positive feedback they received from CEOs and presidents from various Southern California companies serving the A&D sector that were in attendance.
"Our goal was to make the event as informative and as engaging as possible," said Cuellar. "While there are a great deal of acquisition opportunities in the aerospace sector, navigating the mid-market can be difficult. Besides sharing our industry expertise, we wanted to give the aerospace and defense suppliers affected by these changes the opportunity to hear perspectives from their peers."
Due to the symposium's success, the firm plans to host additional A&D conferences in other industry-intensive areas throughout the United States.
About RSM EquiCo
RSM EquiCo (www.rsmequico.com) is a global provider of investment banking services to private companies with annual revenues of up to $500 million. The firm brings together companies, capital and creativity on a national and international scale to help clients achieve their personal and strategic objectives.
RSM EquiCo is part of RSM McGladrey Inc., one of the nation's largest providers of business and tax consulting, wealth management, retirement resources and payroll services to midsized companies. RSM McGladrey Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of H&R Block, a diversified financial services company listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
RSM EquiCo is licensed by the SEC (Securities & Exchange Commission) and all state securities authorities, and is a member of the NASD (National Association of Securities Dealers) and SIPC (Securities Investor Protection Corporation).
RSM EquiCo's international headquarters are located in Costa Mesa, California. It also has offices in Chicago, Boston, New York and London.