Eskişehir Aviation Cluster Association

“Eskişehir Aviation Cluster Association” was established on the date March 2011 with the aim to structure the future of the aviation sector which is among the vital points of the Eskişehir industry and to monitor the studies in this area as a result of the studies initiated with the pioneering of the Eskişehir Chamber of Industry (ESO).

The founding members of our association consist of the leading industrial firms of Eskişehir like; Eskişehir Chamber of  Industry, Anadolu University, TUSAŞ Motor Sanayi A.Ş. (TEI), Alp Havacılık Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş., Savronik Elektronik Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş., Coşkunöz Savunma ve Havacılık Sanayi Ticaret A.Ş. Aycan Makina Danışmanlık Hizmetleri Sanayi ve Ticaret Ltd. Şti., EJS Eskisehir Jant ve Makina San. Tic. A.Ş., Nümerik Makina Mühendislik Döküm San.ve Tic. Ltd. Şti. ESAC continues its activities with a total of 32 members today. 

If we should mention the basic dynamics initiating this structuring;

Parallel to the economic development in the world, important developments are faced in the defence and aviation industries in our country as well. The number of passenger carried by the Turkish Airlines is growing steadily; it is also known that it is implementing a master plan for the purchase of new planes. Along with the civil aviation sector, new projects in the military area contribute to the development of the aviation sector in our country. When we look at our defense industry we can see that planned, systematic activities in all areas parallel to the needs of our country, in line with the strategic plan of the Undersecretariat for Defence Industries are implemented and we are gladly expressing that today our defense industry has come to the domestic indigenous product development phase. 

Consequently, there is an important market at the world aviation sector in the coming period. The share our country will receive from this market shall be formed depending on; how ready our infrastructure is, how much coordination the industry-university- science organizations and the authority are working. The subject, beyond getting a share of the market, has a very strategic degree of importance from the development aspect of our country. 

If we move on to the Eskişehir specifically; Eskişehir is a natural aviation city. The Aeroplane Factory established in the year 1926 namely Air Supply Maintenance Center today, has the ability and the capacity to enter the top 10 among the samples in the world. The center of Turkish Aeronautical Association in Inönü, established in the year 1936 after this, has played important roles in the formation of the aviation infrastructure in Eskişehir. With many number of firms that have started their activity in the defense and aviation field and the supply industry network formed during the next period, Eskişehir has been enabled to gain a fundamental infrastructure in the aviation field. 

This infrastructure has formed the basis of the Aviation Cluster. Our cluster is fulfilling an important function from the aspect of increasing the coordination and cooperation between the firms operating at the defense and aviation field having an important share in the economic indicators of the city. The market and the job share to be captured at national base from the world aviation market, achievement of strategic integrity in activities to be performed with quality from the technological aspect, timely delivery and competitive price essentials are without any doubt in the nature of an important milestone in the name of the development of the aviation sector of Eskişehir.

Among the aims of our association which is a model sample from the aspect of cooperation among corporations  “organizing clustering formations; providing incentives for R&D activities,  innovation and entrepreneurship; establishing cooperation networks among actors; enhancing clustering activities; development of the cluster base; providing cooperation, solidarity  and exchange of information  among the members on cultural, professional, technical, trading, economic, legal and administrative  topics; gathering real and judicial personalities performing in the production industry and its sales; protecting their mutual interests; helping them in subjects like providing machinery- equipment, raw material supplies they require; making it easier for them to find markets” can be considered.

Our basic target under the scope of cluster structuring where the number of our members is increasing every other day is to carry the Eskişehir aviation industry  to the level where it can compete in the international area by developing it in quality, system, technologic infrastructure and to get more job share from the aviation sector. In order to create the synergy with the recognition created in this direction by taking mutual actions with similar aviation clusters in Turkey,  by cooperating with the other clusters in the world we are planning to promote our industry, Eskişehir, Eskişehir Aviation Cluster, increase the job development potential. Moreover through the cluster we will also enable our industry to benefit from the state incentives that provide an important contribution to the sector as well. 

One of the most important of these supports is the Ministry of Economics “Development of the International Competition” project. The project prepared by ESAC has been accepted by the ministry and a total of nearly 1 million TL resources have been allocated for the project to last 3 years. The requirement analyses, education and consultation services, employment and foreign programs are under the scope of this project.  By completing the requirement analysis ESAC is continuing with the Project with the participation of all its members. At the same time, ESAC being in the data base of KOSGEB and BEBKA (Bursa Eskişehir Bilecik Development Agency) has written a project to BEBKA with the aim to educate qualified personnel which is one of the most important requirements of the sector and our project having been accepted, the related infrastructure has been completed and our headquarters has been made ready for service. Our center has been opened as of the day March 9th, 2015; it will be providing services for primarily firms that are members of the cluster and later to those industrialists who require services on sensitive measurement subject. 

As just mentioned previously, as ESAC, one of our most important aims is to increase the popularization and recognition of the cluster and the members of the cluster. Relevant to this ESAC is continuing to promote the cluster in both the national base and the international media by completing its corporate personality activities. Taking part in international fair and business discussions in Europe and Turkey, making presentations in conferences and in conventions at the national level, performing cooperation discussions with other aviation clusters in Europe, being present at national and international portals and data basis, being included in the EU aviation projects; ESAC has been successful to be a corporate respondent and identity related to aviation in Eskişehir today. Under the scope of these cooperations, our cluster being a member of SASAD (Defence and Aviation Industry Manufacturers Association) has also been accepted to the EACP Europe membership in the year 2014.

We thank for their contribution to the targets I have mentioned above at national and international levels, of all those firms for the activities they will perform with cooperation and solidarity beforehand and wish them successes.