Purchasers and multipliers from Canada to get to know aerospace companies on an infor- mation trip to northern Germany as part of the BMWi Market Entry Programme for SMEs

Hamburg, Germany | January 8, 2019– The German aerospace industry has been working closely together with Canadian aviation companies and research institutions for several years al- ready. Now, sponsored by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), representatives from Canada are coming to northern Germany. SMEs from all over Ger- many are invited by the Hamburg Aviation cluster and the German Chamber of Commerce & Industry Toronto to come to Hamburg. At the leading global trade fair, Aircraft Interi- ors Expo, from 1 – 4 April 2019, they can get to know Canadian partners, with a promise of follow-up support for cooperative projects that result.

Various event formats including information sessions, idea pitches, trade fair tours, company site visits and B2B conversations will provide SMEs with opportunities to make contact with North American Partners from 1 – 4 April. Company site visits in Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Sax- ony are also planned.

The target region is attractive. In Canada, around 87,000 people are employed in aviation, and the Montréal Metropolitan Region’s aerospace cluster, with members including such major OEMs as Bombardier and Pratt & Whitney, makes the area one of the most important aviation centres worldwide. Many companies in the western provinces and Ontario are also active on an international scale. The infrastructure, the personnel qualification level, and the Canadian busi- ness culture provide an ideal basis for definite SME market entry. The aviation networks of the German states of Hamburg, Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bavaria and Brandenburg have already been working closely with companies from Canada for several years. Hamburg has nurtured a close partnership with Montréal since 2008 and has already supported delegations and research projects.

Support en route to Canada

Support for companies in the establishment of German-Canadian partnerships extends beyond the expo week. They can draw on the expertise of the German Chamber of Commerce & Industry Toronto (AHK Toronto), which has been supporting small and medium-sized companies as they enter the Canadian market for more than 50 years now. Within the framework of the federal Supply Chain Excellence Initiative (SCE), several regional aviation clusters are working to achieve an increased internationalisation of the supplier business. Hamburg Aviation, as a mem- ber of SCE, has been successfully partnering with Canadian organisations for several years, sup- porting delegations, initiating business contact, and coordinating projects.