Economic Mission to Spain, 19 & 21 May

From Madrid to Sevilla, a delegation of Dutch aerospace and maritime & offshore companies spent three days exploring the depth of what Spain has to offer as a business partner. What they found exceeded expectations.

The mission, organised in partnership with the Embassy of the Netherlands in Madrid and RVO, brought together companies from two sectors for a packed programme of company visits, knowledge exchange and business development. The conclusion after three days: Spain is a market that deserves serious attention.

Day 1 – Madrid: two tracks, one mission

The programme opened with two parallel tracks reflecting the dual focus of the delegation. The aerospace companies visited Indra, one of Spain’s leading aerospace and defence companies, for an in-depth look at their capabilities and areas for potential collaboration. Simultaneously, the maritime & offshore delegation headed to Navantia, Spain’s national shipbuilder.

Both tracks then came together for an intensive B2B matchmaking session that generated over 300 matches between Dutch and Spanish organisations, a strong indicator of the mutual interest and complementary strengths on both sides.

The day closed with a joint networking reception attended by Sjoerd Sjoerdsma, Minister of Foreign Trade of the Netherlands, and Jordi Hereu i Boher, Minister of Industry & Tourism of Spain. Their presence underlined the strategic importance both governments place on deepening the bilateral relationship between the two countries.

Day 2 – Airbus Getafe: inside one of Europe’s most iconic facilities

The second day took the aerospace delegation to Airbus in Getafe, just outside Madrid, for an exclusive tour of the MRTT and Ariane 6 facilities. Seeing these programmes up close gave companies a tangible sense of the scale and ambition of Airbus operations in Spain.

The visit was complemented by a presentation on doing business with Airbus, offering concrete and practical insights for companies looking to strengthen or establish their position in the Airbus supply chain.

That evening, the full delegation travelled to Sevilla, where they were welcomed at a networking reception hosted by the organisation of the ADM conference, setting the tone for the final day of the mission.

Day 3 – Sevilla: business at the heart of it

The final day was dedicated entirely to business. Companies participated in an intensive programme of B2B meetings with Spanish counterparts, building on the connections made earlier in the week and translating conversations into concrete opportunities.

The ADM conference provided the ideal backdrop, bringing together key players from across the aerospace, defence and maritime sectors and giving the Dutch delegation direct access to a broad network of potential partners and clients.

A market that exceeded expectations

If there is one overarching takeaway from this mission, it is that Spain has more to offer than many had anticipated going in. The delegation was welcomed with openness and a genuine willingness to collaborate, and the interactions throughout the three days were substantive and forward-looking.

For a number of companies, the mission has laid the groundwork for serious business opportunities. The conversations started here are ones worth continuing.

NAG, together with the Embassy of the Netherlands in Madrid and RVO, will continue to support member companies in following up on the connections made and translating the potential identified this week into lasting partnerships.