Work Underway To Make Clare A Global Capital Of Aerospace Sector

Clare FM

Works is underway to make Clare one of the global capitals of the Aerospace Sector. Clare County Council has hosted a delegation from nine European countries as part of an initiative aimed at exploring new opportunities for Aerospace in Shannon and the wider Midwest region. The Europe-wide Moving Toward Aerospace, or MAE project, has been established to research potential opportunities and identify barriers with the Aerospace Sector. As a partner of the project, Clare County Council last week hosted delegates from the Czech Republic, Norway, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Ukraine and Romania who were shown the work of various companies in Clare which operate within the sector. The MAE project is geared towards opening up potential opportunities in future-oriented manufacturing for small and medium businesses which are currently within more traditional industries. John Drysdale of the Shannon Group, who's a partner in the project, says the secret to expanding this region's role in international aviation is continued collaboration. Another aspect of the MAE project is exploring policy interventions which may be required to support a transition to a new generation of SMEs in aerospace, develop local aerospace value chains and lay the foundations for future SME growth. Head of Enterprise with the Local Enterprise Office in Clare, Padraic McElwee, says while Shannon won't become a key player in the sector tomorrow, work is being carried out to expand its foothold.