Diversifies sales, by multiplying the invoice to Asia by four and almost doubling that of America, around January-May 2022

Exports from the Andalusian aeronautical sector registered growth of 7.4% year-on-year during the first five months of 2023, up to 703 million euros, which represents 24.5% of the total for Spain. A quantitative increase that is also qualitative, as Asia is the continent to which sales are growing the most, with a bill of 42 million euros between January and May, four times more (308%) than what was exported in the same period of the year. previous, and America the second, with a growth of 84%, up to 87 million.

According to data from Andalucía TRADE- Business Agency for Economic Transformation and Development, this industry contributes a surplus of 328 million euros to Andalusia’s trade balance with the outside world, with a coverage rate of 188%.

This upward trend in the first five months of 2023 consolidates the data with which it closed 2022, in which it produced a foreign invoice of 2,134 million, with a growth of 39%, also being the one that contributed the most to the national growth of the Spanish aeronautical industry last year, with more than half of the increase in total sales in Spain.

Currently, Andalucía TRADE promotes the aeronautical sector in the world together with the Andalucía Aerospace cluster through a recently signed agreement that contemplates new actions for this year in countries such as the US, Germany or Morocco, as well as collaboration in the organization of the next edition of ADM Sevilla 2024, which will take place from May 14 to 16 in the Andalusian capital.

Andalusia is one of the main aeronautical poles in Europe and, along with Toulouse and Hamburg, and the only one in Spain that has a final assembly line (FAL) for a large aircraft, the Airbus A400M. This exerts a notable boost to this industry and is greatly reflected in its international activity, which has been showing a notable recovery, after two years mediated by the stoppage of orders derived from the restrictions on the movement of passengers imposed by the pandemic.

The Andalusian Government has classified this industry as strategic and, for this reason, it has promoted the Andalusian Aerospace Strategy 2021-2027, to which the efforts of the Andalucía Aerospace cluster, as well as Airbus, are also added, as the great European driving force.

An extensive program to continue growing

Last year, Andalucía TRADE organized some thirty actions to promote the Andalusian aerospace sector, in which 59 Andalusian companies participated, a figure equivalent to 83% of the exporting companies in the sector (71), which supports the usefulness of this strategy.

Among them, the organization of international events such as the Aerospace & Defense Meeting-ADM Sevilla stands out, the main business forum in Southern Europe, which last year, in its sixth edition, had 1,200 professionals from 323 companies from 29 countries; but it also promotes the development of reverse missions such as the one that is being held now, to strengthen contact between Tier1 and international OEMs and Andalusian companies.

In 2023, and through the collaboration agreement signed with Andalucia Aerospace, an even greater boost is being made to the international activity of the Andalusian aerospace industry. One of the great milestones for the sector this year has been the participation of Andalusia in the 54th Paris Air Show Le Bourget International Fair (June), a forum in which the seventh edition of the Aerospace & Defense Meeting-ADM Sevilla 2024 was presented, the starting point reference of the world circuit of the sector.

Similarly, in 2023, the Aerospace Meeting held in Seville with 29 Andalusian companies and agents from six countries stands out; the direct trade mission to India, held in May, with eight companies; or those planned for the rest of the year, such as the Webinar on the Aerospace, Defense and Naval sectors, in Colombia, the direct missions planned within the framework of the Space Tech Expo in Bremen (Germany), and the Aerospace Meeting in Casablanca, and the prospective visit to the main fair of the aeronautical sector in Washington, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA).

Asia quadruples and America doubles

The 703 million euros of exports from the Andalusian aeronautical sector during the first five months of 2023 have had 51 companies from the Andalusian cluster as protagonists, 4% more than in the same period of the previous year (+4%).

The sales of these firms, in the period from January to May 2023, reveal significant growth in sales and diversification of destinations, having the four continents among its top 10 markets, and registering growth in 9 Top 10 countries.

Asia is the continent that most grows, to which Andalusia multiplies its exports by four compared to the same period of 2022 (+308%), reaching 42 million euros, 5.9% of the total. America becomes the second fastest growing continent, with an 84% increase in sales, which add up to 87 million euros in exports, 12.4% of the total. Likewise, Europe remains its first continental market, with 81% of the Andalusian bill, 567 million, and an increase of 0.5%.

Regarding the countries of destination, the growth that brings greater diversification to the sector is striking, such as the Philippines (7th), the leading Asian market in the sector in this period, and the fastest growing of the Top10, which multiplies its bill by 108 with a increase of 10,726% to reach 28.8 million, 4.1% of total sales; India (10th), with the second best growth since it multiplies its data by 55 with an increase of 5,412% and adds 4.3 million euros, 0.6% of the total; and Canada (6th), with sales of 36 million, 5.2% of total sales and multiplies its exports by 15 with an increase in the invoice of 1,414%.

For its part, France maintains its sales rate, and is positioned as the first global and European destination for the Andalusian aeronautical industry, in addition, it concentrates almost half (45%) of the total sales of the sector, with good growth in this period compared to 2022, since it multiplies its turnover by four, with an increase of 321% and exports of 317 million euros. In second place, the United Kingdom adds 142 million euros to the bill, 20.2% of the total and multiplies sales by four, with an increase of 317%; In third position, Portugal, with exports that reach 50 million euros, account for 7.1% of the total, and multiply its figure by 13 thanks to an increase of 1,252%.

In fourth place is the United States, the first non-EU destination for this industry, with sales of 47 million, 6.6% of the total and a rise of 33%; Germany follows as the fifth market, with 38 million euros, 5.4% of the total bill, and has an increase in its data of 32%.

The eighth position in exports is occupied by Turkey, with sales of 8.8 million, 1.3% of the total and the only decrease among the markets with a decrease of 93% in the invoice; and, finally, Egypt (9th), the first African destination, providing greater diversification of sales, with 4.7 million, 0.7% of the total and a bill that has been multiplied by five, with an increase of 438%.

Seville, epicenter of the aeronautical industry

The province of Seville continues to be the epicenter of a key sector for Andalusian growth, and in this period it has maintained its export level, adding to the community bill of 694 million euros, in addition, it concentrates 99% of total sales , and increased by 7.7%.

Other provinces are gradually incorporated into the aeronautical business experiencing significant growth. Almería (7th), which multiplies its data by three its bill (54,000 euros); Huelva (5th) has twice the sales, thanks to an increase of 156% (518,000 euros); and Córdoba (4th), with 1.6 million, up 63%.

Cádiz, for its part, is the second province in exports of the aeronautical industry, with 4.3 million, 0.6% of the total and an increase in the invoice of 0.6%; Málaga follows, in third place, with 2.2 million (0.3% of the total) and a drop of 47%. Jaén (132,000 euros) is the sixth province in sales and Granada (4,000 euros), eighth.

Aircraft: leaders in sales

During the first five months of 2023, the main exported item was that of other aircraft (helicopters, planes, etc.), space vehicles (including satellites) and their launch and suborbital vehicles, with 457 million euros (65% ) and an increase of 2% compared to the first five months of 2022.;

In second place are the parts of the devices, with 218 million (31% of the total) and an increase of 23.8%; followed by turbojets, turboprops and other gas turbines with 15 million (2.1% of the total) and a slight drop of 0.7%; and radar, radio navigation or remote control devices, with 7 million (1%) and a drop of 35%.

In fifth position are the devices and devices for launching aircraft; landing on aircraft carriers and the like; and flight training on the ground, with 1.9 million (0.3%) and a rise of 61%; followed by parachutes, airships, gliders, paragliders, their parts and accessories, with 1.2 million (0.2%) and an increase of 90%, almost double that of January to May 2022. Seats are in seventh position (except those of heading 9402), with 1.1 million and an increase of 20.5%; followed by aircraft tires, with 850,242 million (-15.1%); and safety glass for automobiles, aircraft, ships or other vehicles (467,424 million), which grew by 18% compared to January-May 2022.