The alliance includes the design of strategies for an industry of which Andalusia is the second exporting community, with 40% of sales in Spain
The CEO of Extenda, Arturo Bernal, and the president of the Andalucía Aerospace cluster, Antonio Gómez-Guillamón, have signed a collaboration agreement in Aerópolis to promote the international promotion of the Andalusian aerospace industry. With this heading, the objective of optimizing and coordinating their respective resources, programs and activities is pursued, to enhance the international promotion of a sector of which Andalusia is the second largest exporting community in Spain, with 1,761 million euros (40% of Spain) in 2020, 77% more than ten years ago.
Through this public-private alliance, both entities will share information related to companies in their field interested in the internationalization process, as well as data on the sector that can serve as the basis for the design of brand-name or sectoral internationalization strategies. They will also carry out, jointly, informative activities such as conferences and seminars; preparation of sector studies; and organization of international visits.
On the other hand, Extenda-Andalucía Exportación e Inversión Extranjera will promote, through Andalucía Aerospace and its associated firms, its information services, training, consulting programs, and its commercial actions in all markets of the world, including those it covers through its Foreign Network present in 62 markets, and the actions programmed from its geographical areas for America, Asia-Pacific, Africa-Middle East and Europe.
Arturo Bernal, CEO of Extenda, highlighted the importance of the implementation of this agreement, “due to the progress it represents for public-private collaboration, under a common objective, which is to boost Andalusian aerospace industry’s national leadership in exports. In addition, it showed “Extenda’s clear commitment” to continue supporting a strategic sector for the community, which has remained active despite the strong tensions to which this industry is subjected as a result of Covid-19: “an example of this is the success achieved just a week ago with the organization and celebration by Extenda of Aerospace & Defense Meetings-ADM Sevilla 2021, one of the largest business events in the sector held in Europe and that, not only have we dared to celebrate it when others have canceled, but to do it even partially in person ”.
In turn, Bernal underlined the importance of making this agreement with the Andalucía Aerospace business cluster, “the benchmark entity in the sector in our land, which has also contributed decisively to the success of ADM and has become the essential ambassadors of the community aerospace sector in international markets ”. “And it is that Andalucía Aerospace represents 72 firms in the sector, which includes all the Andalusian export companies in 2020, which were 67”, added the CEO of Extenda.
For his part, the president of the Andalucía Aerospace business cluster, Antonio Gómez-Guillamón, highlighted the importance of “internationalization as an essential way to consolidate our supply chain”. In this last year, very complicated for companies in the sector, it has been shown that “diversification of activities and implementation in different countries are key strategies to stabilize the business” in the face of possible crises like the one we are experiencing.
“The Andalucía Aerospace cluster has been working closely with Extenda for years,” says Gómez-Guillamón, who considers this agreement as another step in public-private collaboration. “Public-private collaboration is essential for the development of the aerospace sector and it is important to strengthen our common relationship, as Extenda is a key entity for the Andalusian aerospace sector, which dedicates all its efforts to supporting companies in their internationalization process. Finally, he pointed out that the cluster, with “72 associated companies that bring together more than 70% of the turnover of the sector in Andalusia”, shows its “clear commitment to internationalization”.
Extenda: digitization and diversification of markets
Extenda, as a public company dependent on the Regional Ministry of the Presidency, Public Administration and Interior, has launched a decisive commitment to the digitization of its services and improvement of processes, which will result in the actions carried out together with the aerospace association, in order to provide qualitative and quality information that is useful to companies in this strategic industry for the development of their international activity.
It is an aspect included in the agreement, which is in line with Extenda’s new strategic line of digital transformation and promotion with a geographic focus directed at markets, through the use of business intelligence and big data, and combined with the knowledge and on-the-ground support of its foreign network present in 62 markets.
Andalucía Aerospace: Business Cluster
Andalucía Aerospace Clúster is a private association created to represent all aerospace companies in Andalusia. One of the main objectives of the cluster is to contribute to the strengthening and positioning of its member companies in the national and international aerospace market. The cluster aims to promote sustainable technological development and business excellence in the Andalusian aerospace industrial fabric through the synergies of member companies and the training and education of professionals in the sector. Finally, the cluster acts as an institutional representation in public bodies and organizations of any territorial, national and international scope.
Andalusia is the third largest aerospace hub in Europe, after Toulouse and Hamburg, due to its business ecosystem, turnover, infrastructure and innovation programs. The Andalusian aerospace industry (latest data from the 2018 cluster) accounts for 1.6% of Andalusian GDP and is the second most important in Spain: it brings together 140 companies that generate more than 15,000 direct jobs, concentrates almost 30% of revenues nationals of the sector and places Andalusia as the second exporting community in Spain, with 4 out of every 10 euros of national sales.
In turn, Andalusia is a unique territory for the experimentation and validation of unmanned aircraft technologies and systems (UAS) or remotely controlled systems (RPAS). A region with great opportunities for pilot training academies and MRO activities (maintenance, repair and operations); world-class infrastructure and great capacity for the production, assembly and launch of satellites.
International activity
In 2020, the Andalusian aerospace industry achieved exports of 1,761 million euros (40% from Spain), despite the strong tensions to which this industry is subjected as a result of Covid-19. With this figure, international sales of aircraft, space vehicles and their parts of the community have grown by 77% in the last decade 2011-20.
In addition, in 2021, if we analyze the last month, March, they have increased by 128%, to 172 million euros, although in the quarter exports of aircraft and space vehicles stood at 237 million, with a decrease of 26% about the first quarter of 2020.
At present, Seville concentrates most of the sector’s export bill (98%), followed by Cádiz, although other provinces are gradually joining the international aerospace business, such as Malaga, Córdoba and Huelva.
By destinations, the Andalusian aerospace industry reaches four continents with its top ten destinations. Europe is the first continent to export to, with Germany (34%), France (24.1%), Belgium (8.3%) and Luxembourg (7.5%) leading the way. Next are the North American markets, the US (7.4%) and Canada (6.2%), major players in the world sector, followed by Brazil (2.6%). The Top 10 are closed by the Netherlands, Kazakhstan and Kenya, countries that Andalusia has recently added to its destinations for the sales of aircraft and space vehicles thanks to its diversification strategy.
