Collaboration between Hungarian Aerospace and Automotive industries

A Collaboration Agreement was signed by the Hungarian Aerospace Cluster (HAC) and Pannon Automotive Cluster (PANAC) on the 27th of July in Budapest. The long term objective of the agreement is the creation of a diversified high-technology based vehicle industry. The Clusters will launch projects that will contribute to close up the gap between the European and Hungarian vehicle industry, the diversification of the best Hungarian automotive part manufacturers to aerospace, the incorporation of competitive, vehicle related industries: electronics, informatics and communication into the aerospace network. The Clusters also would like to attract the attention of related industries to the hidden synergies in technologies and services used by the two industries.

The mid-term goal of the Clusters is to improve collaboration in the fields of innovation, research and development and better contribution to the implementation of new technologies, solutions and services to the Hungarian vehicle industry. HAC has been established by four Hungarian small aircraft developer in March 2006 – Corvus Aircraft Ltd., Composite One Ltd., Halley Ltd. and Hungarocopter Ltd. In May twelve additional members joined the Cluster from the fields of design, part manufacturing, rapid prototyping and testing. HAC has three basic objectives: develop and manufacture small general aviation aircraft, develop and manufacture higher assemblies for these aircraft using the capabilities and capacities of the HAC members and the integration of the best Hungarian part manufacturers into the global aerospace supplier network. HAC first debuted to the aerospace community in Berlin at ILA 2006 Air show by two presentations at ASD and ISC events and was represented by four suppliers at ITD Hungary stand. Corvus Aircraft exhibited its full composite two seater Corvus Corone UL aircraft for the first time in such a big international event. The collaboration will contribute to the growth of the Hungarian Aerospace Industry, by widening the cost efficient part manufacturing base, by partially replacing the expensive foreign part suppliers, helping the aircraft manufacturers become more price competitive.

For the best automotive suppliers and service providers the collaboration provides real opportunity to diversify to a globally growing aerospace industry through the domestic market and to adopt proven high-tech solutions from aerospace to the product development process. In this process the two leading companies are EDAG Hungary Ltd. and Borsodi Műhely Ltd. in Győr, who committed first to aerospace diversification. EDAG Hungary already outplaced 30 Hungarian design engineers to Hamburg who works on the interiors of Airbus airplanes. Borsodi Műhely the respected automotive supplier has launched its aerospace quality assurance project to implement the AS9100 system after the audit by AIB-Vincotte in September 2006.

The cluster managers think that this kind of collaboration between HAC and PANAC may serve as an example for other organizations as well in removing the „glass walls” between industries in order to start working together on the basis of technological competences for the creation of a world class diversified Hungarian vehicle industry. (MRK, PANAC Budapest)