Frankfurt / Main, Germany, December 10, 2012 Review: AIRTEC 2012: An excellent international B2B-Meeting event for the aerospace industry - 3.236 participants from 45 nations - International share grows up to 60% - B2B meetings grow by further 42% - Quality and internationality remarkable - AIRTEC 2012: Top event according to the B2B meeting participants - Numerous new business contacts and project partnerships - International conferences grow by 34% The 7th AIRTEC, international aerospace supply fair took place from November 6th to 8th, 2012 at the Exhibition Centre Frankfurt, Germany and was officially inaugurated by the Ministerialdirektor, Dr Sven Halldorn, Director General for Technology Policy in the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology on November 6 th. Dr Sven Halldorn pointed out amongst others, that exhibitions like AIRTEC emphasize the growing significance in the global market of the aerospace industry. They create an excellent exhibition platform for exhibitors to present their efficiency and support the system suppliers and equipment suppliers in their search for innovative suppliers. Diana Schnabel, Exhibition Manager and CEO expressed in her inauguration speech, that AIRTEC 2012 presents innovative technologies of the entire aerospace supply chain and is therefore an important market place to exchange new ideas and new business opportunities. The B2B meetings of AIRTEC 2012 offer an important factor for the success of the event as well as the variety of specific international conferences. Diana Schnabel expects a further successful development of AIRTEC as an international B2B-meeting and technology meeting place and wished all participants successful business talks. 1
The inauguration was held in the frame of the international conference Supply on the Wings. Among the audience there were leading representatives from Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Embraer, Kawasaki, Pratt & Whitney, Spirit, the European Community and other exhibiting companies, institutions and universities. Exhibitors from 22 nations presented their products and services from the aerospace industry. The nations were Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Germany, France, Greece, Great Britain, India, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, South Africa, Turkey, and the USA. The strongest exhibition country was Turkey, followed by Spain, Belgium, France, Italy and the USA. 42% of the exhibitors came from Germany; 58% came from abroad. The exhibitors came from the entire aerospace supply chain, like engineering, materials (metals and composites), manufacturing and machining technologies, electronics and sensors, components and systems and life cycle support. The strongest field was manufacturing with 44%, components and systems with 19%, materials with 16%, design and engineering with 12% and life cycle support with 2%. There were first tier suppliers represented as second- and third tiers. For the first time several first tier suppliers exhibited, who supply directly to the big OEMs. Exhibitors from the space and UAV industry were also represented. Joint stands from Germany and abroad were represented with companies from different fields of the aerospace supply chain. The exhibitors of AIRTEC 2012 praised mainly the high quality and the professional competence of the business partners at the stands, the B2B-meeting platform, the good businesscontacts and prospects in the aerospace industry, the high international attendance and the extraordinary engagement and the professionalism of the organizers of airtec in Frankfurt. Due to the fact that AIRTEC is not a standard exhibition, but an event, where the meetings have been mostly set in advance via a B2B-matchmaking platform in the internet, airtec considers itself as an extended sales force and supports its exhibitors also in creating business contacts. Most of the exhibitors of AIRTEC 2012 emphasized the excellent quality of the B2B meetings with existing and potential customers, the high quality of the business talk partners, the high international participation and the central location of Frankfurt in Germany and in Europe. Also the personal engagement of the organizers, the extended sales force as a business accelerator and business promoter to support the exhibitors in making contacts to potential procurement- and supply chain and technology managers, were particularly emphasized. At AIRTEC 2012 3236 participants from 45 nations were represented. 60% came from abroad. The number of participants in the B2B platform from procurement, supply chain and technology management of the OEMs, engine manufacturers and system suppliers increased by 42% comparing to last year. All important OEMs, engine manufacturers and system suppliers from Europe, USA und Asia were represented as participants in the B2B-meetings. The exhibitors could arrange meetings already in advance via a B2B-matchmaking platform in the internet 2
and settle up meetings for the whole period of the exhibition at their stands. Already at AIRTEC 2012 the participants of B2B-meetings from procurement, supply chain management and technology decided again, to participate at AIRTEC 2013 and to increase their participant numbers from other enterprise groups and departments. AIRTEC has further strengthened its profile as a leading international B2B-meeting event for the aerospace industry and has been rated by many participants as the best AIRTEC event since the beginning. The reasons for this great rating are various. Targeted oriented networking and business contacts are in the aerospace industry of major significance, the quality of the business contacts have a prior importance, the presence of procurement, supply chain and technology managers from OEMs, engine manufacturers and system suppliers are a prior factor for the success of such a B2B-meeting event for the aerospace industry. The following companies participated amongst many others in the B2B-meetings with important representatives from procurement, supply chain management and technology: Aero Vodochody, Airbus, Astrium, Avio, Boeing, Boeing Research & Technology Europe, Bombardier, Cassidian, Diehl Aerospace, Dutch Space, EADS Astrium Crisa, Elbit Systems, Embraer, Eurocopter, Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment Information Technology and In-Service Support, Fokker Aerostructures, General Atomics, GKN Aerospace, Hitco Carbon Composites, Honeywell Aerospace, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Korea Aerospace Industries, Lockheed Martin Space, Mission of the Israeli Ministry of Defense / SIBAT, Nord-Micro, OHB System, Pratt & Whitney, Premium Aerotec, Rockwell Collins, Rolls-Royce, Russian Helicopters, SABCA, Safran Hispano-Suiza, SES, Snecma Safran Group, Spirit AeroSystems, TAI Turkish Aerospace Industries, Turkish Airlines Technic, Volga-Dnepr Technics, Zodiac Aerospace Aerazur. The statements we received so far prove the great success of AIRTEC 2012. Andrew Bicos, PhD, Director, Enterprise Manufacturing Technologies at Boeing was very impressed of his first attendance at AIRTEC: 2012 was my first year at AIRTEC and I was impressed with the mix of excellent technical presentations and the ample opportunities to connect with people from across the aerospace sector. The combination of exhibition, B2B meetings and technical conferences was an excellent venue for all this to occur. And I was very impressed with the large, and growing, international attendance. I was able to make new business connections and learned about new things due to AIRTEC. Stephen Cowan, General Manager Supply Chain at Bombardier Aerospace in Northern Ireland, who took part in the Global Supply Chain Management and Procurement Summit and who was present in the B2B meetings with its team of buyers rated his participation an outstanding success. Aerospace drives innovations- innovations drive Aerospace', this quote sums up the two days I spent at Airtec. The event was extremely well organised and the quality of lectures and B2B sessions were of a very high standard. This is a must attend event for buyers, engineers, researchers and experts in the Aerospace 3
industry, to see best practice and share experiences. My team of Sourcing managers have made new contacts and found suppliers that meet our requirements." Bernard Eby, GM Marketing & Global Sourcing Dpt from the French company Snecma Safran Group was very satisfied with his third participation in the AIRTEC B2B meetings and has already confirmed the participation of Safran Group at AIRTEC 2013: AIRTEC BtoB 2012 has been a fruitful event for Snecma Sourcing Dpt. The event was as usual very well organized by the Airtec Team, the web for the BtoB is user-friendly and efficient for appointment management. Half an hour for each BtoB appointment is short but we have defined with most of the supplier an action plan in order to make progress together after the event. Safran Group will continue to attend AIRTEC events, in order to find new suppliers AS/EN9100 certified and special process Nadcap approved. Also Pierre Oligny, European Procurement Director at the Canadian engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney, summarized his third participation as very successful: This was our third participation at Airtec and it impressing to see continuous growing number of exhibitor s year over year and this is why we are exhibiting at Airtec. Over the 3 days, we participated at more than 50 B2B meeting and that bring us to some interesting discussion with new potential suppliers. It is amazing to see the logistic and professionalism of Airtec team during the event. Looking forward to participate at the Airtec 2013 Jean-Simon Allard, Commodity EMEA Strategic Sourcing Manager at Honeywell Aerospace, praised the high quality of the event, the great diversity of the exhibitors and the internationality: I must say that this was the best in the three years I visited. The diversity of the companies in terms of capabilities and geography makes Airtec an ideal location to meet current suppliers and discover potential ones. Compared to other events of the same size, Airtec s B2B platform is by far the easiest to use and to organize meeting schedule with companies that can help in the short and long run. Anyone in the aerospace industry should consider having Airtec in their calendar to help them stay on the edge. After his successful participation last year, Halil Atilla, Chief of Subcontracts at Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc. (TAI), A/C Group has extended the participation of TAI in the B2B meetings and came with his subcontracting team to Frankfurt. In his positive summary he also confirmed already now his participation at AIRTEC 2013: This event is becoming an important opportunity for us to meet International Suppliers and Manufacturers for different equipment/systems in the Aerospace world. Because it provides excellent opportunity to meet potential suppliers for different and new equipment/supplies along with innovations that will always be worth to consider for our new programs/products as OEM. I am so happy to see that Airtec is growing and improving from year to year inspite of the current 4
global economic situation. As it was in the past, this year also, the quality of the meetings, the organization and the evening events were very special and of superior level. The organizers and their team are truly professional and the special profile of AIRTEC in comparison to other B2B-meeting events in the aerospace industry was very impressive. Members of my team and myself look forward to participate in the Airtec 2013 to meet more potential suppliers for our current and future programs. Also the presence of suppliers from Europe, the US and Asia is important, as the aerospace business is very international. The presentation of new technologies at such a specific event, like AIRTEC is, plays a major role. New accents have to be set and it has to be dealt with future topics. AIRTEC 2012 has fulfilled all these criteria with a high quality of exhibitors and participants as well as with its high level of internationality. The international conferences of AIRTEC 2012 were essential for the success of the event. Five conferences took place along with AIRTEC and were integrated in the large exhibition hall. In that way the proximity to the important participants from the fields of research and development, innovation, project engineering, program management, quality insurance and other areas of science with representatives from universities, scientific institutions and governmental bodies were guaranteed, as many participants of the conferences took part in the B2B meetings. The number of participants in the conferences increased by 34% and will continue to grow in 2013. International Conference on Aeronautics Supply on the Wings with panel discussion on new materials (new) At the international conference Supply on the Wings, which took place from November 6th to 8th, 2012 in the frame of AIRTEC 2012, more than 150 participants from 20 nations were represented. Scientific Chairman was Professor Richard Degenhardt from the German Aerospace Center (DLR )und PFH Göttingen and Vice Chairman Dr Leslie Cohen, Senior Vice President Marketing, Hitco Carbon Composites, USA. Under the topic Aerospace a leading innovator, the 7 th international conference on aeronautics covered all important topics for current and future aerospace products and technologies. The best papers will be published in the special issue number 5, in 2013 in the Journal Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology. The discussion for new materials, which was lead by the Director for Research and Technology, Bruno Chenal from the company Constellium, one of the leading aluminium manufacturers of the world, was rated as a very interesting panel discussion. Global Aerospace Supply Chain Management and Procurement Summit (new) In the frame of the international conference Supply on the Wings a global aerospace supply chain management and procurement summit with leading representatives from the aerospace industry was held. The participants were renowned representatives from procurement and sup- 5
ply chain management like Phil Ackerman, who has represented the Vice-Chairman for Procurement from Boeing, John Byrne, from Bombardier, General Manager Supply Chain, Stephen Cowan, from Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Shigeru Yamanobe, Purchasing Manager, and from the well-known consultancy Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, Joerg Wahler. The conference room was fully occupied and the discussion was very inciting and exciting. The latest requirements towards the entire aerospace supply chain were discussed and the current demands to the aerospace supply industry. The international conference Supply on the Wings has found a very positive appeal. The high quality of the papers were emphasized: Every year this special conference is growing and improving. This year it has especially made a significant step forward. The high lights were 16 keynote presentations from high level speakers Airbus, Boeing, Hitco, Premium Aerotec, European Commission, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Fokker Aerostructures, PAR, SGL, Embraer, MAG Composites, Denel SAAB Aerostructures, Structural Composites and Web Industries. In total the conference program embraced 90 papers from 20 nations. Overall we have received a very good feedback from the participants, so the comment from Professor Richard Degenhardt. International conference SPACE World with exhibition and B2B meetings The 3 rd International Conference SPACE World was held from November 6 th to 8 th, 2012. Scientific Chairman of this international conference was Professor Klaus Schilling from the University Würzburg, Vice Chairman was Sven Carstensen, Managing Director of Thales Alenia Space Germany. Under the topic From vision to business the three-days SPACE world presented with 80 participants from 16 nations important topics like Satcom, Satellites Platform, Space Situational Awareness and Constellation Flying Challenges. At SPACE World companies from the space industry, universities, operators, procurement- as well as supply chain - managers from industry and official institutions from different nations were represented. At the international exhibition suppliers and system suppliers as well as universities exhibited new technologies from the space industry. Thales Alenia Space was Golden Sponsor. SPACE World 2012 was rated as an important meeting-place in the centre of Europe for the space industry. The combination of conference, exhibition and B2B meetings was judged by the participants as very efficient and successful. Due to the important topics of the conference regarding supply chain management, there were procurement managers from OEMs and satellite companies represented, which attended the B2B meetings and have settled appointments via a B2B-matchmaking platform in advance to meet and discuss new business opportunities with them at their booths during SPACE World 2012. The B2B-matchmaking tool was rated as very user-friendly and efficient. The meetings which were settled were of high quality. International conference and exhibition for unmanned aerial vehicles UAV World 6
The 6 th International UAV World Conference took place from November 6 th to 8 th, 2012 under the moto UAS Technologies and Missions. Scientific Chairman was Professor Peter Vörsmann from the Institute of Aerospace Systems at the Technical University Braunschweig, Co- Chairman was Professor Dieter Moormann from the Institute of Flight System Dynamics at the University of Aachen. 80 participants from 12 nations spoke about current topics from UAS systems, from design up to application, from sensors up to sense and avoid, from communication up to navigation and legal aspects on air traffic management. At the accompanied exhibition with companies and universities from Germany and abroad, UAV systems and technologies from supply sectors for UAVs were presented. The 6 th international UAV conference has shown a further new growth of participants. The exhibitors actively took part in the B2B meetings and had interesting business talks with important representatives of the UAV industry and institutions. International conference Aerospace Sensors New this year Aerospace Sensors, the international conference for sensors, was held. Chairman was Professor Rolf-Jürgen Ahlers from the ASG. Speakers and participants praised the initiative of the organizers having set up this new international conference, because sensor technologies pay a more and more important role in the applications of aircrafts, unmanned aerial vehicles, helicopters and satellites. Aerospace Sensors was held under the theme Sensor Devices and Applications. Amongst the speakers were representatives from leading companies from the industry. The topics covered all important sensor technologies, like pressure, temperature, position, vibration, power, surveillance, fused sensor systems and custom solutions and applications for commercial and military aircrafts, helicopters, UAV, missiles and satellite applications. At the accompanied exhibition suppliers from different fields of sensor technologies exhibited. This exhibition fitted very well with the connected UAV World conference and exhibition. The exhibiting companies participated as well at the B2B meetings and met with experts for business talks at the booths. Aerospace Sensors was held under the kind support with the AMA, Association for Sensor Technology. The 4 th International HELI World conference was held under the theme Helicopter Technologies and Operations, from November 7 th to 8 th, 2012, Chairman was Dr Mark D. White from the University Liverpool. Speakers from different nations of well-known companies and universities were represented. At this specialized international conference, important topics from the development, systems and applications fields were discussed. It covered technological and operational aspects. This conference proved to be an important international meetingplace for suppliers, manufacturers of helicopters, operators, universities and official institutions and have found a great appeal among the speakers and participants. The international conference HELI World with innovative topics from the helicopter industry was also continuously well attended. 7
In co-operation with Lufthansa Technical Training the workshop themed EASA Update Training for Management and Engineering in the Aerospace Supply Industry, took place in the frame of AIRTEC 2012 at the Exhibition Centre Frankfurt. The workshop gave an overview about the legal regulations in Europe, concerning design, manufacturing and maintenance organizations. Participants were companies from the entire aerospace supply chain. The participants rated the workshop as very informative. Outlook for AIRTEC 2013: AIRTEC 2013 will take place November 5 7, 2013 at the Exhibition Centre Frankfurt / Main, Germany. The international participation is expected to further increase to 50 nations. The number of exhibitors not only from Europe but also from Asian countries like f. e. China, Malaysia and Singapore as well as from strong aerospace US-States and Canadian regions will continue to grow. The exhibitor presence of joint stands from Germany and abroad is planned to increase significantly. A new topic among others comprises an international one-day conference for testing with exhibition. The B2B meetings are planned to further increase by 50%. Also the number of international participants in the international conferences for aeronautics, space, UAV, sensors and helicopters will be extended. AIRTEC 2013 is thus continuing its international growth path and will continue to gain international importance as a global business and technology B2B meeting event in 2013 The statements for AIRTEC and further information are available at www.airtec.aero airtec GmbH & Co. KG, Postfach/P.O. Box 700164, D-60596 Frankfurt / Main, Germany Phone: + 49 (0) 69 27 40 03 15 Fax: + 49 (0) 69 27 40 03 44 email: airtec@demat.com www.airtec.aero 8