The UAE on Monday took an important step towards the development of a major aerospace centre, with the signing of an agreement between the Abu Dhabi Airports Company (Adac) and bavAIRia, the Bavarian aerospace cluster.

The agreement sets the foundation to develop a mutually beneficial aerospace partnership between both regions.

Fahed Al Shamesi signed the agreement on behalf of Khalifa Mohamed Al Mazrouei, chairman of ADAC, along with Dr Martin Haunschild, president of bavAIRia, in presence the Bavarian minister for conomic Affairs, Infrastructure and Technology Katja Hassel at a special ceremony held at the Paris Air Show, Le Bourget.

The twin cluster agreement will support the development of Al Ain Aerospace cluster located adjacent to Al Ain International Airport.

Core to the twin cluster agreement concept are so called joint teams. These have been established to explore joint business opportunities within key areas of common interest including technology fields such as aero engines, aero structures, VIP interiors, satellite navigation applications, education & training.

For each of these technology fields, a joint team has already been or will be established and consist of the respective leading Bavarian aerospace companies as well as organisations of the UAE.

The Joint team “aero engine MRO & small parts manufacturing” includes companies such as Atena, Aerotech Peissenberg, FAG Aerospace and MTU Aero Engines.

The joint team “aerostructures” includes for instance MT Aerospace, RUAG Aerospace and SGL Carbon. The agreement will also be supported by a joint ADAC-bavAIRia steering committee to facilitate the flow of knowledge, human capital, and investment across the two regions.

Al Mazrouei said the signing of the twin ship agreement with the Bavarian Aerospace cluster is a monumental step forward for both the free state of Bavaria and for the UAE.

"German aerospace companies want to expand their global presence and reduce their manufacturing costs, increase their profitability and compete in the global economy. On the other hand Al Ain aerospace industry is at its infancy, the costs are low and the business environment is globalized and well funded," he pointed out.

“We hope that through this historic twin cluster agreement, we not only help us to achieve our strategic goals, but allow the companies of Bavaria to expand their international presence and successfully compete in the global economy."

"Given the small size of our population and the standard of living in the UAE, it becomes clear that our diversification strategy must cover high value-add, science and technology based sectors such as aerospace manufacturing," Al Mazrouei stated.

"Add to that the fact that we hold one of the largest aircraft procurement programs in the world, it is no wonder that the government has identified the aerospace sector as one of its strategic investment targets,” he added.

Zeyad Al Majed, senior project advisor of Adac, spoke of the need for Abu Dhabi to build upon its existing aerospace sector to help diversify its economy and exports away from oil and oil based products, as outlined in Plan Abu Dhabi 2030, the wider strategy for economic development across the emirate.

“The German aerospace companies and notably Bavairan aerospace companies have an average export of about 250,000 euros per employee, with the highest record we have seen exporting at a half a million euros per employee," he stated.

"Bear in mind that these are manufactured goods, not diamonds or gold, but metal, glass and resin parts, crafted to such precision and standards that only a highly educated, skilled and disciplined workforce can achieve," Al Majed remarked.

"Bavaria also has an efficient cluster management organisation which gives us assistance in the cooperation process and facilitates getting in touch and working together