Johannesburg - Boeing on Tuesday opened two new offices in Johannesburg and Nairobi, Kenya, to mark a significant milestone for the company as it continues to expand its international presence. The world's largest aerospace company said Africa would be in need of 1 150 new airplanes over the next 20 years as the most recent Current Market Outlook report predicted that air traffic to and from the continent is expected to grow by about 6.1 percent annually.
The Johannesburg office will be managed by Boeing International headed by J. Miguel Santos, managing director for sub-Saharan Africa, and director for international sales, Africa, for Boeing commercial airplanes.
Chamsou Andjorin, director for government affairs and market development, will be located in the Nairobi office.
In a statement, Santos said taking the necessary steps to establish a firm presence on the continent was an obvious choice for Boeing.
"Africa is not new territory for Boeing.
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"Since the introduction of the jet airplane, Boeing aircraft have formed the backbone of the continent's commercial fleet and Boeing continues to be one of the largest US-based companies doing business on the continent," Santos said.
"The aerospace industry needs to start paying closer attention to Africa, because this continent is clearly on the move economically and all the trends are pointing in the right direction for the expansion of the sector.
"Our job is to be ahead in understanding these emerging trends and opportunities."