New Hub For Technological Innovation To Boost Aeronautical Development In The Region

The establishment of the AeroTech Campus, the new hub for the technological innovation of the Leonardo Aerostructures Division, has been announced at the company's Pomigliano d’Arco plant (Naples). Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development, Labor and Social Policies Luigi Di Maio, representatives of local institutions and Leonardo’s top management all attended the ceremony.

In addition to the inauguration of the AeroTech Campus, the ceremony also marked the start of a transformation program at Leonardo’s Pomigliano d’Arco facility which is focused on improving production engineering processes. The initiative is representative of the move towards growth in Southern Italy’s aeronautics sector.  

The AeroTech Campus will host researchers, developers and new entrepreneurial teams involved in the development of cutting-edge technologies to be implemented in aerostructures, ensuring and consolidating Leonardo's market leadership in the field. AeroTech Campus will also collaborate with the University Federico II of Naples.

"The challenge for Italy’s future is linked to its technological skills and the growth of the Southern regions. Leonardo is ready to play a key role in the relaunch of the ‘Country System’ through an investment plan that necessarily collaborates with the institutions," said Leonardo CEO Alessandro Profumo. "Our goal is to turn the tide and make our production plants centres of excellence in the manufacturing sector. Leonardo is ready to do its part and we ask the local authorities and central administrations to invest in the aerostructures sector with us."

Leonardo is the world's sixth largest producer of aerostructures for civil aircraft, a market that will require about 43,000 new airplanes over the next 20 years. Therefore, it will be necessary to arrange new technological production processes in order to sustain the high demand.

Campania is a region of great importance to Leonardo due to its historical industrial presence. Leonardo is the main actor in the Campania aerospace district, with five divisions and the joint venture Telespazio with over 4,500 employees. Leonardo’s activities in Campania guarantee high technology jobs in its Pomigliano d'Arco, Nola, Fusaro, Giugliano, Pozzuoli, Benevento and Naples production plants, and support a supply chain involving an extensive network of small and medium-sized enterprises. Leonardo’s collaborations with universities are part of its open innovation strategy, aimed at developing new technologies, skills, products, services and the general promotion of research, which will additionally benefit other industrial fields.

(Image provided with Leonardo Company news release)

FMI: www.leonardocompany.com