Poland - Aviation Market Visit

Worcester’s International Trade Team visit Poland’s Aviation Valley

During the Paris Air Show back in June 2009 it was identified there was a real need for the International Trade Team in partnership with Advantage West Midlands (AWM) to take a group of West Midlands Aerospace companies to visit the Polish Aerospace Cluster based in Rzeszow, south eastern Poland. With the development of Poland’s aerospace industry there are plenty of opportunities available to UK companies to establish long term relationships with the aerospace sector.

Poland is famous for the production and maintenance of airplanes of all types.  To ensure its continuous place in the market, the Polish aerospace companies have set up an association called Aviation Valley (www.dolinalotnicza.pl) affiliating aerospace companies operating in south-eastern Poland. Aviation Valley is one of the top places in Central Europe for the development and fulfilment of aerospace projects. The Cluster currently represents 80 companies and that figure is expected to reach 100 within the next few years. They are looking to develop a trading network with other European Centres of the aerospace industry and are aiming to attract foreign investment, suppliers and partners. The long-term objective of the Aviation Valley Association is to transform south-eastern Poland into one of Europe’s leading aerospace regions.

West Midland companies who attended the mission with 4 members of the UKTI Team included Allied Maxcut Engineering, Apollo Aerospace Components Ltd, Bodycote Ltd, Comar Engineering Services Ltd, Doncasters Aerospace Components Ltd, JI Consult Ltd, Plasticraft Ltd, Southco Ltd & Techsil Ltd.

The three day visit included factory visits to PZL Mielec (Sikorsky Poland), WSK PZL Rzeszow and Hispano-Suiza S.A. plus presentations from the West Midlands Aviation Cluster, networking, presentations and introductions from the Polish companies’ and one to one meetings.

Linda Smith from the International Trade Team said “The mission achieved a very successful first visit to Poland where the aerospace cluster in Aviation Valley was fully explored. The team discovered many opportunities for UK companies in the Polish aerospace industry including; partnerships, export sales, supply chain development and investing in the region. We’re planning a return visit on 25th May to attend a B2B event in Rzeszow”

For more information on UKTI’s International Trade Team visit www.wmchambers.co.uk/international/ or call 0845 641 1613

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