Growing through standards? Aerospace Valley is betting on it for small businesses

In response to the expectations of its members, the Aerospace Valley competitiveness cluster has decided to focus on access to standards to help companies with fewer than 50 employees to develop in the aerospace sector, but also to target new markets and innovate.

Just because professionals set voluntary standards doesn't mean they know them all! However, knowing the voluntary standards, as well as the regulations specific to a sector, for a product or service, is a prerequisite for successfully bringing a product to market or innovating in the right direction. This is especially true for small businesses. " This is a need that our members expressed to us in 2017, and we wanted to offer them a tailor-made solution. " sums up Juliette Mallez, Head of Service Development at Aerospace Valley, a competitiveness cluster bringing together players in the aeronautics sector in Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Occitanie. More than 300 companies with fewer than 50 employees, representing half of the cluster's member companies, now have access to AFNOR Editions' Saga Web monitoring solution at a preferential rate.

The tool provides online access to French, European, and international regulations and voluntary standards. It sends personalized alerts for any changes or updates to the content of a text: it is a tailor-made tool, designed as a first step toward economic intelligence for small businesses that do not have a dedicated internal department.

4 markets to conquer

The primary mission of Aerospace Valley is to promote exchanges between its members, to help them innovate and support the jobs they generate. The service offered with AFNOR Editions is in line with this idea, helping companies to go beyond their core business and work in four other areas: rail transport, automotive, health and medical devices, energy, agriculture, and innovation.

Operating in the aerospace, space, and embedded systems sectors, these companies are already well-versed in manufacturing in compliance with strict regulatory requirements and voluntary standards. " Their products and services can be transferred to other sectors, provided that companies are familiar with the specific characteristics of those sectors. ," adds Juliette Mallez. Before illustrating: " Drones can be used in agriculture, for example, or by hospitals to deliver blood supplies. Technologies for collecting and distributing electrical energy designed for aeronautics can also be offered to other sectors. "

Five SME advisors from the cluster have been trained to offer this service to small member companies, tailored to their specific needs. It's up to them to take advantage of it!