News
Future Aerospace Network (FAN) established
On November 10, 2009, the cluster initiative "Future Aerospace Network (FAN)" was established in Stuttgart, Germany.
Stuttgart, November 10, 2009: the project consortium of the "Future Aerospace Network (FAN)" held its initiation event in Stuttgart, Germany. Dr. Rolf-Jürgen Ahlers, Chairman of EACP member "Forum Luft- und Raumfahrt Baden-Württemberg" emphasized the notion that "FAN will provide new dynamics to the improvement of the competitiveness and innovative ability of the local aviation and space companies through enhanced networking services. Networks are not just a fad but instead provide the means for institutionalized forms of cooperation among highly diverse actors". The future cluster manager will be Knut Drachsler of the GPS Gesellschaft für Produktionssysteme GmbH.
Beside the introduction of FAN with its goals and main work foci to businesses and institutions in the aerospace industry, the conference also included speeches by Uwe Gröning, president of EACP member Hanse Aerospace e.V., sharing some of the experiences of the Aviation "Spitzencluster" Hamburg, and by Walter Birkhan outlining the concept and work of the EACP.
The regional cluster initiative FAN was honoured last year by the Ministry of Economics in Baden-Württemberg and received the official notice of granting of EFRE funds in September 2009. In addition to the Forum Luft- und Raumfahrt Baden-Württemberg e.V., project partners include the faculties for aviation and space technology and geodesics of the Stuttgart University, the City of Stuttgart (capital of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg), the business development corporation of the Stuttgart region, the Center for Technology Transfer Lampoldshausen, and the administration union Airfield Böblingen/Sindelfingen.