^{Dr. Andreas Sperl
Head of the ASIS advisory council,
CEO EADS Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmbH in Dresden}The Saxon aerospace sector is characterised by an active network of suppliers, companies providing scientific and technical services, and research institutes. They all serve to achieve the setup of labour-intense and value-adding capacities at a high technological level. Apart from the effects of the global financial and economic crisis, consolidating activities in value chains, which also Saxon network partners are active in, and currency fluctuations have led to an increased industrial competition. There it became obvious that primarily companies with innovative products were most capable to survive.

Aiming at tackling such challenges in the future, the ASIS advisory board seeks to support and strengthen the competencies of particularly small and medium-sized companies in the network. In doing so, the numerous complementary aerospace-related products and services in the region will become much more competitive, e.g. through cooperations and projects. We are striving to pool, efficiently utilize and advance development capacities in order to achieve a sustainable competence enhancement. The network management services provided by ASIS are crucial in this process.

ASIS continued to work out new business opportunities with international aerospace-related manufacturers for its network partners. An emphasis was placed on the Russian market. One aspect of great importance to Saxony as an aerospace location is the close ties between industry, research and university education. One in six aerospace engineers from Germany obtains his or her education in Dresden.

The importance of the aerospace industry as a driver for growth and innovation for the Saxon economy is on the rise. As a consequence, the activities of ASIS will increasingly incorporate key strategic technologies such as efficient, eco-friendly energy production and use, nanotechnology in structural materials and electronics, and the production of advanced materials. Given the strong global competition, I am convinced that the network partners as much as the entire aerospace industry in Saxony will continue to benefit from ASIS and its services.

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