Andalucia Aerospace celebrates its general assembly on the campus of the CEU Fernando III University
The Andalucía Aerospace cluster reaches its seventh year of operation in the Andalusian aerospace sector with a significant increase in associates and great challenges for 2024.
Gathered in a general Assembly on the campus of the CEU Fernando III University, President Antonio Gómez-Guillamón thanked the new University for hosting the cluster in its magnificent facilities, as well as the commitment to work together to bring the university world closer to the aerospace industry, after the agreement signed to join CEU as a collaborating partner of the Andalusian cluster.
During the Assembly, the association’s budgets for 2024 were approved and the cluster’s action plan for this new year was presented, which will be very focused on continuing to give visibility to companies in the sector, seeking to diversify business opportunities for them, increase the international presence of the Andalusian aerospace sector and develop new innovation and technological projects.
There was an express mention of the need to promote the Andalusian Aerospace Strategy 2020-2027 as a necessary tool for the development of the sector and which is still pending development in its most relevant projects.
In the Space sector, the cluster has offered to collaborate closely with the new Spanish Space Agency and was pleased that the Andalusat project, the cluster’s initiative to make a 100% Andalusian satellite, can go ahead with the financing commitment from of the Andalusian Government.
In his report, Juan Román, director of the cluster, stressed that the cluster continues to grow in number of members and that it already has 95 member companies. The incorporation of eleven new aerospace companies to the cluster in 2023 was ratified, companies with very diverse capabilities and that reflect the strength of the Andalusian sector to cover all the needs of the aerospace industry.
The interest of Andalucía Aerospace in growing collaboration with Universities was also highlighted, and hence the relevance of the agreement reached with the CEU Fernando III University.
In the field of innovation, three new projects led by the cluster have been approved: Imagina, Analysis Phase II and Impulse Phase III, in which 9 companies in the sector participate. The projects are co-financed by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism. On the other hand, the cluster has participated in several European projects such as Prestigious, ASSETs+ and Aeris+.
During the Assembly there was also time to remember the celebration this year of the ADM (Aerospace and Defense Meeting) in 2024, which will be held in Seville from May 14 to 16. All companies were encouraged to participate given that it is the most relevant event of its kind held in Spain.
The event included the important Conference on “Challenges of the Defense Industry”, given by General Planells, Deputy to the Director General of Armaments and Materials (DGAM), of the Ministry of Defense. General Planells explained what the functions and responsibilities of the DGAM are. At the same time, he gave a tour of the priority projects in which they are currently involved and that affect the aerospace sector. Finally, he also explained what the opportunities could be for industrial companies that work in Defense, recognizing that we were in a time where there had been greater awareness of the need to invest in National Security and Defense.
Aerospace Manager Award
Finally, businessman Miguel Ángel Tamarit Almagro, Vice President of Pegasus Aero Group, collected the “Andalusian Aerospace Manager 2023” award awarded by the Andalucia Aerospace cluster. The award was presented by the president of the cluster, Antonio Gómez-Guillamón and the president of CEA, Javier Gonzalez de Lara.
The cluster has recognized Miguel Ángel Tamarit Almagro for his intense activity in 2023 to promote and dignify the aerospace and defense sectors in general. From his corporate headquarters in Palma del Río (Córdoba), Tamarit Almagro has promoted the business unit to face all the important requirements that the future Army Logistics Base in Córdoba will entail. His participation in different associative forums has demonstrated his interest and generosity in collaborating to develop the aerospace sector, beyond his particular interests in his company Pegasus Aero group, where he performs his duties as vice president.
Pegasus Aero Group has become a leader in aerial services and helicopter emergencies, with extensive international expansion. In addition, he has created an Aeronautical Training School in Palma del Río. It already has more than 110 aircraft, it has exceeded 90 million invoicesration and employs more than 600 people.
The event ended with a few words from Javier González de Lara, president of the Confederation of Businessmen of Andalusia (CEA), who encouraged everyone to continue building a more united, stronger Andalusian aerospace sector committed to the great challenges of sustainability and technological development. He highlighted the importance of a cluster like Andalucía Aerospace as a necessary instrument to achieve these great objectives and the full collaboration of CEA in total harmony with the work being carried out by the cluster.
