Teams from Aerospace Valley, based in Toulouse (France), FAC of Farnborough (UK) and Hanse Aerospace of Hamburg (Germany) met today at the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget to agree a collaborative venture to respond to the current and future global demand for composite design and manufacturing capacity.

Every new civil and military aircraft programme increases the use of composite materials. Not only in the airframe and flying surfaces but increasingly as components within the propulsion systems. The drive to reduce weight and increase the aircraft life, coupled with environmental considerations, will continue to demand new innovative uses of advanced composite materials.

As a consequence increased capacity to meet the global demand is essential. Together with new technologies in design tooling, manufacturing, logistics and disposal are urgently required. The objectives of the collaboration between the three bodies are:

1 To identify and define the available capacity in France, Germany and the UK

2 Pursue funding opportunities to develop composite technologies, specifically in the areas of new design approaches,  low cost tooling, manufacturing processes and environmentally compliant disposal technologies..

3 Through the mechanisms available to us to develop the skills and processes that would be essential to exploit the investment in technology and to meet the demands of the Global aerospace industry.

By September 2007 the initial plan will be implemented.

Commenting on the agreement, Francois Jouaillec of Aerospace Valley said, "The development of composite components and tooling is paramount in all organisations. Co-operation will ensure that businesses in the three countries will be able to keep pace with world wide demand and ultimately be more competitive within all global market places."

Ralph-G Matzen of Hanse Aerospace added, "I see this agreement with Aerospace Valley and FAC as generating real results for all members companies, which will also benefit the wider European supply chain. The strategic agreement will assist us with monitoring of raw material supply and ultimately keep down costs."

Finally Ross Bradley of FAC, "The aviation industry is critical both strategically and economically to the future of Europe. The engineering and scientific resources available to us must be maximised to ensure we not only retain the European share of this global market but strive to grow it as well. This agreement today is a great start in achieving this."