Airtec
Airtec is a new specialised aerospace supply industry trade fair. The first edition took place in Frankfurt, Germany from the 17th to the 20th October 2006. It is the only event of its kind in the world, not a air-show, the airplanes are not centre stage. The exhibition is very much devoted to the complex supply chain especially the second and third tier suppliers of the aerospace industry.
In 2006 486 exhibitors from 22 nations were present, half the exhibitors were from Germany. Italy, France, Spain and Great Britain made up over half of the foreign exhibitors. They covered products and services: Engineering, production, components and systems, lifecycle support, safety and security. There were no major aircraft manufactures exhibiting. It was their sub contractors and their sub contractors. The components and the engineering and the testing.
There were nearly 9000 visitors from 22 countries registered. More than 20% from outside Germany, mostly other European Countries but also some from Asia and America. This was down on the declared target of 15.000 from 30 countries.
It is intended that project managers, purchase officer, designer, production specialist or decision maker of aircraft producers, engine producers, airline employees, maintenance personnel, or companies from the supply chain industry, will find the event an opportunity to locate new suppliers and cultivate contacts with new and existing business partners. Representatives of the big OEM’s (Original Equipment Manufacturers) such as Airbus, Alenia, Bombardier, Diamond Aircraft, EADS, Eurocopter, Finmeccanica, Pilatus, and Rolls Royce were present as visitors but not exhibitors.
Mrs. Dagmar Wöhrl, Parliamentary Secretary of State at the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, inaugurated AIRTEC on October 17, 2006.
Andalucia was nominated as the guest country. The government agency for the external promotion of Andalucian commerce EXTENDA - organized a large collective stand for a number of Andalucian companies.
- AEROSUR - Aeronáutica del Sur - Engineering and components, structural assembly.
- AEROTECH - Hardware and Software testing, analysis applications for avionics data-buses.
- ASOCIACION EMPRESAS AERONAUTICAS - Machining Systems and QA services.
- BOSADO - Hydraulic pipes and fittings.
- ELIMCO - Testing: Engine and Systems.
- EMESKIU SIMULATION SYSTEMS - Range of static Flight Simulators.
- GHESA ANDALUCÍA - Engineering and systems.
- INDALO & STTA - Extractor Parachute Release Systems & Aircraft Painting.
- INESPASA - Engineering, Design, Software.
- GRUPO LAMAIGNERE - Production und Logistics.
- MDU - Functional test benches.
- MEUPE - Production and components.
- NAVAIR - Engine, Avionics, and Wiring.
- RESUR - Production of springs and resorts.
- TADA - Engineering and components.
Francisco Mencia, of the government agency IDEA has responsibility for the Aerospace sector. He made a short presentation at the opening ceremony. He presented an executive summary of the excellent report prepared by Aertec of PTA in Malaga entitled “Andalucia Aerospace Sector 2001-2005” which outlines the current status of the Andalucian aerospace industry.
Andalucian Stand at Airtec 2006
Benito Márquez Rodrígez, as Director International Communication of EXTENDA lead the Andalucian exhibitors. “AIRTEC was for EXTENDA and for all Andalusian exhibitors a unique opportunity to get in contact with customers, clients and strategic partners worldwide. The organisation of AIRTEC has given the opportunity with a various accompanying programme to get in contact with the most different levels of the supply chain of the aerospace industry. AIRTEC 2006 was without doubt an important platform for the presentation of the aircraft industry of Andalusia on an international level”.
One of the Andalucian exhibitors Jose Castañeda, Systems Engineer from Aerotech Engineering Systems SL who supply hardware and software applications for avionics databuses analysis and testing commented. “To Participate in trade fairs like Airtec is fundamental for us as a young company it is an excellent medium for suppliers to get to know us.”
According to the organisers 78% of the exhibitors were satisfied with the first AIRTEC, but both for the organisers and the exhibitors an increase in the number or trade visitors and buyers not vendors would be welcomed.
In fact 41 % of the visitors came from the OEMs, Airlines, Military and General Aviation sectors, 16 % from the engineering sector, 15 % from production, 22 % from components and systems, 5% from lifecycle support and 1 % from safety & security. At AIRTEC specifically managing directors and owners of companies did register as well as purchase managers, production managers, project engineers, development engineers and sales and marketing managers.
AWARDS
The high-light of the well organised if not slightly lacking in atmosphere evening conference party was the AIRTEC AWARD ceremony. The excellent magician Nicolai Friedrich animated the guests with a special air themed show. Afterwords the three serious awards were presented by Dr. Klaus Daser, aerospace expert and consultant of the Dornier Family and Diana Schnabel, Exhibition Manager of AIRTEC.
The first price was won by PFW Aerospace AG for the development and usage of “silent metal”, which is used for mufflers (for sound dampening in aircrafts) and it reduces the noise development and also provides a weight saving.
The second price was won by Dörries Scharmann Technologie GmbH for a parallel kinematics processing head. As part in a machine tool the head is used for the milling of the material aluminium, which is mostly used in the aerospace industry.
Jakob Lach GmbH & Co. received the 3rd price for its PKD- multitude end mill. This milling tool - equipped with a multitude of polycrystalline diamonds – allows a machining of specifically very sensitive components existing of composites like glass fibre composites or carbon fibre composites.
The three winners were voted by a 13 member jury from representatives of academia, press and industry.
WORKSHOP CONFERENCE
Parallel to the AERTEC exhibition was the workshop conference short titled “Supply on the wings” and long titled “Aeronautics RTD in the Research Framework Programme of the EU” chaired by Liam Breslin, European Commission. It included lectures by Bert Stegkemper, Executive Vice President Global Supply Chain, Eurocopter Group, about ”supply chain – organisation and management“ and the lecture by Ian Murray, Chief Buyer New Business and Work Transfer, Bombardier Aerospace – Short Brothers plc, about “Bombardier sourcing overview“. The conference was only attended by 50 participants perhaps due to the cost of the three day ticket. The exhibition organisers must consider a single lecture entrance next year.
UNIQUE EVENT
A unique highlight at the AIRTEC premiere was the first time alighting of the legendary seaplane Do-24ATT on October, 19 2006 in Frankfurt on the river Main. On the rudder of this historic seaplane sat Iren Dornier, grandson of the flight pioneer Claude Dornier. Thousands of enthusiastic spectators saluted the alighting of the seaplane at around 11.30 a.m. between Niederräder Railway Bridge and Main-Neckar-Brigde.
AIRTEC 2007
We are really looking forward to AIRTEC 2007 from October 23 to 26, 2007, said the Exhibition Manager Diana Schnabel. Her aim is to increase the exhibitor and visitor numbers for AIRTEC 2007. Not only the sectors electrical/electronics and components but also the number of first tier suppliers with their purchase departments. The organisers need to increase the number of international visitors (20% in 2006), so that the exhibitors will feel they are exhibiting to an international aviation market.