Hamburg, 13 July, 2016 - The important aviation centers of Hamburg and Montréal are intensifying their cooperation. At the world's biggest airshow this year, the Farnborough International Airshow (11 - 17 July, 2016), leading representatives of the clusters Hamburg Aviation and Aéro Montréal have signed an official Letter of Intent. This is further strengthening Hamburg's internationalisation strategy, which is being funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) with up to four million euros. Hamburg Aviation is exhibiting at Farnborough for the first time this year. The cluster is jointly represented with the ZAL Center of Applied Aeronautical Research in the Hanse Pavillion in Hall 2B / 120.

The agreement is particularly aimed at bringing small and medium-sized enterprises, universities and research institutions in Hamburg and Montréal (in the province of Québec, Canada) closer together through joint transatlantic projects. It is focussed on the fields of research and development, supply chain structure, and training and education. The partnership with Montréal, which found its beginning as long ago as 2008, is part of Hamburg Aviation's internationalization strategy. Within the framework of the Hightech Strategy, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is providing up to 4 million euros of funding over the coming years to support the networking and cooperation between the two aviation centres. The cooperation agreement has a total project volume of 12 million euros, half of which is coming from the Canadian side.

Dr. Franz Josef Kirschfink, Managing Director, Hamburg Aviation: "Both Hamburg and Montreal are regions of key importance for the global aerospace sector, and complement each other well. The new agreement is the logical next step forward in a growing and fruitful relationship between our regions and a win-win situation for companies and institutions on both sides of the Atlantic alike."

Suzanne M. Benoît, President of Aéro Montréal, welcomes the initiative, saying it will provide many benefits to Québec's aerospace industry. "This agreement will strengthen relations between Aéro Montréal and the various European clusters. We already have close relationships with many European clusters (Belgium, Spain, Poland, Germany, France...). This agreement will provide a solid base for German and Québec aerospace SMEs to develop their collaborative process and growth opportunities, as part of the internationalization of clusters."

Hamburg Aviation exhibiting in Farnborough for the first time

The Letter of Intent between Hamburg and Montréal is being signed during the world's biggest airshow this year, the Farnborough International Airshow (11 to 17 July in Farnborough, near London). Hamburg Aviation and the ZAL Center of Applied Aeronautical Research are represented at the airshow for the first time this year. Together, the representatives of Hamburg as an aviation center are exhibiting in the Hanse Pavillion in Hall 2B / 120. The Hamburg Stand is also the point of contact for the European Aerospace Cluster Partnership (EACP), which is coordinated from Hamburg, and the Crystal Cabin Award.

Visit Hamburg Aviation at the Farnborough Airshow 2016: Hall 2B, 120.

Follow Hamburg Aviation on Twitter during #FIA16: twitter.com/HAM_aviation