Andalusia registers a significant growth of 271.5% in Asia, while Europe accounts for 80% of its international sales
Andalusia has registered record exports in the aeronautical sector worth 1,618 million euros in the first half of this year, thanks to an interannual increase of 87%, which represents a growth of 43 points above the national average, and makes it the second largest exporting region, with 32% of total sales.
According to reports from Andalucía TRADE – Business Agency for the Transformation and Economic Development of the Andalusian Government, these data show that Seville continues to be the spearhead province of the sector, as it concentrates practically all sales (98%), with 1,594 million, and an 87% year-on-year growth.
In addition, the public agency recently held ‘Aerospace & Defence Meeting Seville 2024’, from May 14 to 16, at the Fibes venue in Seville. ADM is the main business forum for the sector in southern Europe. In its seventh edition this year it had the maximum number of 1,343 professionals from 29 countries, which will undoubtedly contribute to boosting the Spanish and Andalusian aerospace industry in particular.
Within the framework of this event, the Regional Minister of Economy, Finance and European Funds, Carolina España, in her capacity as President of Andalucía TRADE, and the President of Andalucía Aerospace, Antonio Gómez-Guillamón, renewed the collaboration agreement to continue promoting the international activity of the Andalusian aerospace industry.
In this way, and aware of the strategic importance of this sector, Andalucía TRADE continues working to promote the industry in the world together with the Andalucía Aerospace cluster, holding actions such as trade missions to countries such as India, Germany or the United Kingdom, and attending important fairs such as the ‘Paris Air Show Le Bourget’, ‘Aerospace Meetings Casablanca’, Ila Germany and Farnborough UK.
Andalusia is also one of the main aeronautical hubs in Europe and, together with Toulouse and Hamburg, it is the only Spanish autonomous community that has a final assembly line (FAL) for a large aircraft, the Airbus A400M, a fact that gives a significant boost to this industry.
In this sense, the Andalusian Government has classified the aeronautical industry as strategic and, therefore, has promoted the ‘Andalusian Aerospace Strategy 2021-2027’, a programme that responds to the need to support a highly complex industry that is at the forefront of technology and has the maximum capacity to attract foreign investment projects. The efforts of the Andalucía Aerospace cluster, in addition to Airbus, as a European driving industry, are also added to this line.
Asia records more than three times as many sales
The Andalusian aeronautical industry, with these sales figures (1,618 million euros) and growth (+87%) contributes a total of 1,107 million euros to the trade balance of Andalusia in the first half of 2024. Andalusia is the second exporting community after the Community of Madrid (48%) and is above the Basque Country (6.2%).
Likewise, exports from the Andalusian aeronautical sector from January to June 2024 reflect great progress, mainly in Asia, with more than three times as many sales, as they have increased by 271%, reaching 180 million euros. Likewise, in America, they have also grown by 16.8%, with a turnover of 116 million. Europe remains in the lead, with 80% of the total (1,293 million), and an increase of 83%.
As regards destination countries, the growth rates of the Top 10 are led by Germany, which registers an increase of 1,270% to 636 million euros (39% of the total), followed by France, with 463 million euros, an increase of 39% and a weight of 28.6%, and Belgium, a market that grows by 5,679% to 136 million euros (8.4% of the total).
The most notable growth in the Top 10 is experienced by Brunei, which with 134,879%, is in fourth position in the Top 10 with 78 million euros, followed by the United States, with 72 million euros (+24.1%), India, which grows by 672% to 71 million euros, Canada with 39 million euros (+7%) and the United Kingdom, 28 million euros (-81%).
Morocco closes the Top 10, with the second highest growth, of 17,622% (22 million euros) and Portugal, with 7 million euros and a decrease of 86%.
Seville, epicentre of the aeronautical industry
The province of Seville continues to be the epicentre of a key sector for Andalusian growth, and in this period it has maintained its export level, adding 1,594 million euros to the community’s bill. In addition, it concentrates 98.5% of total sales, and experiences a growth of 87%. Other provinces that contribute to the aeronautical business are Cadiz, with 10 million, which rises by 114% between January and June, Malaga, with seven million, Cordoba, with five million euros, and Huelva, with 833,000 euros.
On the other hand, in the first half of 2024, the main export item was aircraft, space vehicles, and their parts, with 1,560 million, 96% of the total and an increase of 87%. This is followed by turbojets, turboprops and other gas turbines, with 42 million euros, 2.6%, and more than double sales thanks to an increase of 146%, followed by radar devices, with 12 million, 0.7%, and an increase of 36%.
