AEI Tèxtils, the Catalan advanced textile materials’ cluster, has internationalization as a key axis of the cluster revised strategy addressing two major objectives: increasing the competitiveness of its members with facilitated access to third country markets and the increased visibility of the members at international level thanks to the cluster participation in key events, both in Europe and internationally.

Today, AEI Tèxtils is releasing the video of the project ADMANTEX2i which aims to lead international cluster cooperation in advanced manufacturing and advanced textile materials as an enabler for globally competitive sustainable products functional in a broad range of high-end applications. Target markets will include North America and Asia, with the organization of 3 business missions in the next 2 years.

ADMANTEX2i consortium is led by AEI Tèxtils and counts with the participation of 5 other cluster: ATEVAL in Valencia (Spain), CITEVE/Portuguese Textile Cluster, PRODUCTECH in Portugal, EMC2 in France and AFIL in Italy.

AEI Tèxtils is also involved in other several strategic projects addressing internationalization at different levels.

• TEXGLOBAL supports the growth, the competitiveness and industrial modernization of European Textile companies in long run by enhancing its innovation capacity. Target markets include North America (USA and Mexico) and Vietnam with business missions next year.

• CLAMTEX aims to foster cross-border collaboration and uptake of advanced manufacturing technologies within the textile sector. A key element is the promotion and financial support of “exchanges” within Europe, facilitating travel vouchers for participants in intra-EU business missions for our members.

• GALACTICA aims to boost cross-sectoral innovation among textile, aeronautics/aerospace and advanced manufacturing. In order to get to know each sector, it organized a series of learning expeditions within Europe to get to know the different innovation ecosystems together with travel vouchers.

This week, AEI Tèxtils has presented the first international mission to Mexico, within TEXGLOBAL project, in a dedicated webinar to identify business opportunities. The mission will take place on the last week of March 2022.

Also, in mid-February, AEI Tèxtils, in the framework of ADMANTEX2i, will present the final market assessments for going international to North America (USA and Canada) as well as in Japan, together with the draft calendar for implementing business missions to each of the countries during 2022 and 2023.

Lastly, AEI Tèxtils will have a joint booth with some of its members in Techtextil, on June 2022 in Frankfurt, to feature its members’ innovation, the different activities of the cluster, and to position AEI Tèxtils as a word-class hub for advanced textile innovation.

The cluster is highly committed to support its members, particularly SMEs, in identifying and exploiting growth opportunities worldwide through activities such as partnering missions, matchmaking events, cross-partnership webinars, circular economy business models, digitalization driver and cross-cultural approach, and lessons in building industrial resilience.