KN4AEROSPACE was present at the Farnborough International Airshow 2018 integrating the PortugalLooksUp consortium.
The PORTUGAL LOOKS UP initiative will land at the Farnborough Air Show 2018, with a stand of 24 square meters, where it will be possible to know the passion of a country for the Aeronautics, Space, Defence and Security sectors. This is an innovative initiative, promoted by the main institutional stakeholders in the ASDS industries, that aims not only to promote the activities related to the sector in question at international events but also to attract foreign investment to Portugal. Within the Portuguese luggage, amongst other projects, KNOWNOW4AEROSPACE (KN4AERO) will also fly to Farnborough. KN4AERO is an innovative venture that aims to contribute to the promotion of the Portuguese companies and research centres in the aerospace sector, improving their competitiveness, international visibility, identifying strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats, always aiming to increase trust, exports and promote the Portuguese aerospace sector. KNOWNOW4AEROSPACE is developed in partnership by CEC (Conselho Empresarial do Centro) and AEDCP, is funded by Portugal2020 under the Competitiveness and Internationalization Operational Program, totaling € 422,367.95 of investment.
HOW IS PORTUGAL AIMING TO BECOME ONE OF THE TOP AERONAUTICS SPACE AND DEFENCE CLUSTERS IN EUROPE?
The Aeronautics, Space and Defence sector currently represents 1,4% of the Portuguese GDP, exports 87% of a volume of 1.700 million euros, and has over 18.500 special qualified employees, showing its importance at national level. Taking into account that, less than 10 years ago, only a few companies were considered to be working within this sector in Portugal, it is clear that the AED sector plays a main role in the growth of the Portuguese economy.
The National Aeronautics, Space and Defence Cluster (AEDCP – recognized officially by the Portuguese government in February 2017) gathers already 60 entities (among them some main industry players, such as EMBRAER, TAP, SATA, CAETANO AERONAUTIC, LAUAK PORTUGAL, MECACHROME and OGMA, and a large number of SME’s and Scientific / Academic / technology institutes and centres).
In Europe, in the year 2016 this sector represented a turnover of 222 thousand million euros and had a growth rate of 11% in comparison with 2015. These values correspond to 51% civil aeronautics, 22% military aeronautics, 24% to the naval defence and the space sector 3%. Highly Qualified HR is one of the sector trademarks, with 848 highly qualified jobs (65% of them in the aeronautics sector, 30% in the defence and naval sector and 5% space related).
Around 20.000 million euros were used for Research & Development activities, from which 80% in the aeronautical sector and 20% in the other ones.
