Aéro Montréal and Hamburg Aviation sign a strategic collaboration agreement

FARNBOROUGH, United Kingdom, July 13, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - As part of the Québec trade mission to the Farnborough International Airshow, Aéro Montréal, Québec's aerospace cluster, has signed a framework collaboration agreement with Hamburg Aviation, the aviation cluster of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region in Germany. This new agreement, which builds on the partnership established in 2008 between the two organizations, aims to accelerate the internationalization process of these two leading aerospace clusters.

The agreement will encourage collaborations among companies, educational institutions and research centres in the two countries in terms of research and development, the development of supply chains and skills development.

Suzanne M. Benoît, President of Aéro Montréal, welcomed the initiative, saying it will provide many benefits to Québec's aerospace industry. "This agreement will strengthen relations between Aéro Montréal and the various European clusters. We already have special relationships with a large number of European clusters. This agreement will provide a solid base for German and Québec aerospace SMEs to develop their collaborative processes and growth opportunities, as part of the internationalization of clusters."

"The Hamburg and Montréal regions are both areas of strategic importance for the global aerospace industry and are also highly complementary," said Dr. Franz Josef Kirschfink, Managing Director, Hamburg Aviation. "This new agreement represents a logical continuation for developing further constructive collaborations between our two regions. It is a win-win situation for companies and institutions that make up our clusters on both sides of the Atlantic."

About Aéro Montréal

Created in 2006, Aéro Montréal is a strategic think tank that groups all major decision makers in Québec's aerospace sector, including companies, educational and research institutions, as well as associations and unions.

Aéro Montréal's mission is to engage Québec's aerospace cluster with a view to increasing its growth and expansion on the global scene. Its vision is to become a benchmark in global aerospace. To this end, it champions the following values: excellence, engagement, collaboration, versatility and innovation.

About Hamburg Aviation

With more than 40,000 highly qualified personnel, Hamburg is one of the biggest locations in the world's civil aviation industry. The two giants of the industry, Airbus and Lufthansa Technik, are linked by Hamburg Airport and more than 300 suppliers, as well as a variety of scientific and technological institutions. Every one of them contributes know-how and expertise. Companies, universities, associations, the economic authority and other partners have come together to form Hamburg Aviation, a cluster dedicated to advancing the city as an aviation location. Together they pursue a common goal: to network research and development, thereby bringing to market high-quality products and services for the aviation of the future – products that are good for passengers and set the standards in terms of resource protection. Hamburg Aviation concentrates on five product areas: the development and construction of aircraft and aircraft systems, the development and construction of cabins and cabin systems, the optimisation of aviation services, improving the efficiency of the air transportation system, and aviation-related information and communications technology.  In 2008, Hamburg's aviation cluster was honoured by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research as a Leading-Edge Cluster. In 2014, Hamburg Aviation was honoured with the GOLD Label by the European Commission's ECEI Initiative, recognising it as one of Europe's best managed clusters. In 2016, Hamburg was awarded as a German Landmark by the initiative "Land of Ideas".

SOURCE Aéro Montréal

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For further information: Gwenaël Brisé, Communications Manager, Aéro Montréal, Cell: 438 497-3857, Off: 514 987-9395, [email protected]éal.ca