The German aerospace industry has enjoyed unprecedented success over the last two decades. Since the mid-90’s, industry revenues have more than quadrupled – to over EUR 37 billion in 2016. During the same period, the sector has recorded annual average growth of more than seven percent. Employing a workforce of over 108 thousand (of which more than 50 percent are engineers or highly qualified professionals), the aerospace sector spent around 11 percent of 2016 turnover (EUR 4 billion) on R&D – making it one of the country’s most innovative industries.
Source: Germany Trade & Invest 2017
World Class Aerospace R&D
Companies active in the German aerospace industry invest heavily in R&D, with the industry recording one of the country’s highest R&D spending levels relative to overall turnover. Strong industry investment levels are enabled and accompanied by the presence of an excellent public R&D landscape with dedicated government R&D support for aeronautics and space. The German Aerospace Center (DLR), Germany’s central aerospace research body, employs approximately eight thousand people at 39 institutes across 20 locations. A number of institutes belonging to the renowned Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Max Planck Society and Leibniz Association also conduct aerospace-related research activities. Universities with highly specialized aviation programs and research institutions promote industry-specific innovation.
Germany’s Aerospace Technology Strategy
The German aerospace industry has defined the central fields of innovation, key competences and industrial focal points as part of its technology strategy. The technology strategy combines key technology segments (aircraft, drive technologies, systems, cabins, INDUSTRIE 4.0, and aviation) with concrete research requirement and technological innovation positions.
Germany, the honored country of the 2018 Aerospace Innovation Forum
The Aerospace Innovation Forum will welcome a strong delegation of German aerospace companies, universities, research centers, and clusters. The German aerospace industry has enjoyed unprecedented success over the last two decades. Come hear our keynote speakers from Germany explain their vision of disruptive technologies in aerospace, and meet these organizations at the German Pavilion in the exhibition hall.
Source: Germany Trade & Invest, The Aerospace industry in Germany, Issue 2017/2018