Contact
Guy Putman
Luchthavenstraat 1/bus 6
8560 Wevelgem
Belgium
Ph +32 (0)478 84 76 51
info(at)flag.be
Website
FLAG - Flemish Aerospace Group
Cluster Description
Facts & Figures
| Number of companies | 70 members; approx. 10 are big companies |
| Number of employees | 13,000 |
| Number of research institutes | 2 |
| Other cluster members | VRI (Vlaamse Ruimtevaart Industrielen) = the Flemish Space Industry Organization |
Cluster Management
| Organizational form | Belgian VZW (Which means: non profit association) |
| Financing | Yearly fee of the members; Financing by FIT (Flanders’s Investment and Trade) |
Main Actors
| Main industry actors | Asco; Barco; LMS; Acrosoma; Sabca Limburg; Microtherm;Imec; Electronic Apparatus; HSH Aerospace Finishes; Cassidian Belgium; Sabena Technics. >> A complete list can be found on the website. |
| Main research institutes | VITO; Von Karman. |
Cluster Competences and Strategy
Strengths & Competences
Strengths:
- Very good interface with Flanders’s Government and administration, allowing to provide two way advice about funding, export, programs, regulations, training and education.
- Strong experience with business development activities:
- Know and use offset to penetrate new markets, with long term intentions
- How to promote members in exhibitions
- Organization of seminars, dinners, networking events.
Competences:
- Management has years of experience in aerospace.
- Experience with initiatives as clustering, networking, international programs, offset.
Science & Research
tba.
International Collaboration
India: MOU with SIATI (Society of India Technologies and Industries)
Mexico: MOU with Femia (Federacion Mexicana de l Industria Aerospacial).
Netherlands: NAG (Netherlands Aerospace Group)
Russia: In preparation: MOU with Tsagi.
Main Challenges
Competition: expecting increased competition from Eastern countries, as they will acquire a lot of aircraft and therefore will claim local business.
How to cope with:
- Encourage members to shift to higher added value work and/or processes. Foresee funding by Governments, according to the European rules
- Participate earlier and more actively in European programs, to penetrate more powerful teams and networks.
- Pay more attention to the industry in the countries close to Flanders: France, Germany, UK, Netherlands, Spain. Join forces, knowhow and funding.
Regional Strategy: convince our Regional Government, responsible for our economy, to see aerospace as a (multi-)sector to invest for growth.
- Create structures and political support, to put Flanders in a stronger position for the long term. Political support should secure participations in international programs.
- Include universities and research institutes in this strategy.
Lack of technical workers: not enough young people do technical jobs.
- Launch public initiatives to promote technology and aerospace as careers
- In the meantime: make alliances with countries having a surplus (like Mexico).