There are several reasons justifying the sector as strategic to Madrid and the creation of the Aerospace Cluster:
. The presence of companies from all business areas
65% of supplier or subcontractor companies in the national aerospace industry are located in Madrid. Turnover runs to 4,206 million euro (2008), representing around 63.1% of national production in the sector and 3.3% of European aerospace business.
These include, amongst other businesses:EADS-CASA, Airbus, Deimos, Indra Espacio, ITP, Thales Alenia Space, Grupo Tecnobit, Aries Complex, GMV, Iberia Mantenimiento, INSA, CESA, Sener, etc.
In addition, major infrastructures in the sector are located in the region such as, for example, the tracking station of NASA de Robledo de Chavela or the centreESA de Villafranca.
. Existing Innovative Potential
A major number of universities and research staff with specific innovation lines in the aerospace sector are located in Madrid, including, for example, the Escuela de Ingenieros Aeronáuticos at the la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Universidad Carlos III or the Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA). The Public Regional System of Science and Technology is coordinated at madrimasd.
. Employment
The sector provides direct employment for over 21,000 workers and indirect employment for over 100,000 workers in the Community of Madrid. In addition, the region provides employment to 74% of graduate aeronautical engineers in the country.
The Association activities centre around in-house management services, channelling third-party services linked to the cluster and cooperating in the production of specific projects.
