The Minister of Industry, Energy, and Mines of the Andalusian Government, Jorge Paradela, and the president of the Andalucía Aeroespace cluster, Antonio Gómez-Guillamón, have presented an overview of the performance of the Andalusian aerospace sector in 2024, a year in which it achieved a record turnover of 2.914 billion euros and created 1,056 new jobs, bringing the total number of direct jobs to 15,496.
During the International Aeronautics and Space Show in Paris-Le Bourget, the Minister, accompanied by vice-minister Cristóbal Sánchez, emphasized that these figures, with a 6.8% increase in turnover and a 7.3% growth in employment compared to 2023, «demonstrate the strength of the Andalusian industrial model and its ability to evolve efficiently to meet the new market demands.»
From the Andalucía Trade stand, where the presentation took place, Jorge Paradela highlighted that «since 2022, Andalusia has experienced a significant increase of almost 24% in turnover, reaching the highest figure in the entire series that began in 2013, and an 18% increase in terms of employment,» according to the annual report prepared by the Andalucía Aerospace cluster.
Paradela emphasized that the Andalusian Government aims for the aerospace industry to be «one of the major pillars of the industrial transformation of Andalusia». In line with this, «we will continue to join efforts with companies and economic and social agents to address challenges, seize the opportunities on the horizon, and achieve new levels of growth.»
Minister Paradela during his speech at the Andalucía Trade stand at Le Bourget.
In this context, he outlined the various lines of aid that the Ministry offers to the Andalusian industrial sector to strengthen and gain capabilities, with open calls totaling 80 million euros. He mentioned the 17 million for promoting a sustainable aviation hub in Jerez, 31 million for 100% Andalusian satellite and drone systems, 15.4 million for the logistics auxiliary industry in Córdoba, and 15.2 million for the naval sector in Cádiz.
The president of Andalucía Aeroespace, Antonio Gómez-Guillamón, highlighted that «revealing the data of the Andalusian aerospace sector for 2024 at the Paris Air Show holds strategic value: Andalusia proves to be a key player in the international aerospace scene.» He noted that the turnover and employment figures for 2024 «confirm that the Andalusian aerospace sector has not only consolidated its recovery but is also moving steadily towards a new growth cycle.»
He pointed out that «we are convinced that the future of the sector in our community lies in attracting investments, strengthening the value chain, and advancing in emerging areas such as space or urban air mobility. Andalusia is prepared to lead the sector’s upcoming challenges,» stated Gómez Guillamón. «From Andalucía Aerospace, we will continue to work hand in hand with institutions and companies to consolidate this leadership, promote public-private collaboration, and explore new opportunities in a sector that is one of the main examples of talent, technology, and innovation developed in our region,» he added.
According to the Minister of Industry, Energy, and Mines of the Junta, «the Andalusian aerospace industry is strategically positioned to face the significant transformation currently underway in the sector,» highlighting the global demand increase in civil aviation, with Airbus as a major reference for the Andalusian industry. «This growth not only solidifies Andalusia’s role as a key territory in the value chain of programs like the A320 or A350 but also generates a pulling effect. Andalusian companies are in a privileged position to meet this demand,» he emphasized.
Minister Jorge Paradela at an event at the Spain Pavilion at the International Aeronautics and Space Show in Paris-Le Bourget.
Regarding defense, the increase in European spending and new international programs present a clear opportunity for further growth in mature programs like the C295 and A400M, as well as in new projects under development, as stated by Paradela, who believes that «Andalusia must strengthen its involvement in key projects and focus on critical technologies like drones, leveraging the CEUS in Moguer (Huelva) and ATLAS in Villacarrillo (Jaén) which have opened up opportunities in this field that must be transformed into new industrial prospects.
Simultaneously, the transition to decarbonized aviation requires accelerating the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and advancing in the development of new technologies like green hydrogen. «Andalusia, with its leadership in renewables and projects like the NET ZERO hub in Jerez, which already has a call for proposals with 17 million in grants open, can and should be a protagonist,» stated Paradela.
He also emphasized the need to adapt to digital transformation, especially in activities like maintenance where, as demonstrated at the Paris Air Show, «artificial intelligence is already making a difference.» In this regard, «the technological centers in Málaga, Granada, and Seville are strong allies of the sector, and it is precisely there where the synergies between industry, knowledge, and technology become crucial to reinforce the entire Andalusian industrial ecosystem.»
Furthermore, the growth of new markets in Asia or Latin America presents opportunities that Andalusian companies are already capitalizing on, as evidenced by last year’s export results, which saw a 34% increase with significant growth in Asia and America. Additionally, the challenge of «capturing and retaining talent, beyond our strong university system» is crucial. The launch of the Vocational Training Center, Javier Imbroda, in La Rinconada, specialized in the aerospace industry, and the implementation of unique training projects that will train over 20,000 individuals for the aerospace industry, naval sector, green hydrogen, or the Army’s logistics base in Córdoba are examples of the holistic commitment of the Andalusian Government,» emphasized the Minister.
«With this data, this energy, and this shared vision, we can confidently say that Andalusia is not only ready to compete but also ready to lead,» concluded the Minister.
