Internationalization is a crucial factor to increase the competitiveness of companies. For this reason, AEI Tèxtils, the Advanced Textile Materials’ cluster in Catalonia, has internationalization as one of its strategic axis.

On September 15^th, AEI Tèxtils organized the webinar: “The value of internationalization with the cluster”. This webinar covered the necessary tools and resources the cluster has to increase their members international visibility and promote their internationalization, including the current opportunities within the cluster to support internationalization activities.

The webinar was organized into four sections. In the first one, Ariadna Detrell, Cluster Manager of AEI Tèxtils, explained and provided examples of actions carried out in recent years. These actions are grouped into four categories:

·         Collaboration agreements

·         Business missions

·         Participation in trade fairs

·         Partners’ international promotion

The second section focused on the presentation of business opportunities in Europe through the cluster. Josep Casamada, Head of Projects, highlighted two projects:

-          Stays in Europe through the CLAMTEX project (from three to thirty days) to improve the capacity of SMEs, foster learning and training, analyzing markets or exploring business opportunities.

-          Cross-industry learning expeditions through the GALACTICA project to get to know the different ecosystems (textile, aeronautics/aerospace and advanced manufacturing).

In the third part of the webinar, Mònica Castellà, Head of Internationalization, explained the post-COVID opportunities derived ongoing projects to explore new markets outside Europe:

·         Mexico, Vietnam and the United States through TEXGLOBAL project, which the cluster partners with, and

·         Japan, the United States and Canada through ADMANTEX2i project, led by AEI Tèxtils.

These two projects will offer cluster members for each target country a detailed market study, informative webinar, business mission and/or group participation in an exhibition fair. Besides, cluster members can benefit from dedicated support and vouchers to cover travel expenses.

Laura Velasco (EU SME Center) closed the webinar explaining the support services the EU SME Centre offers to AEI Tèxtils’ members interested in doing business in China, given the collaboration agreement signed between the two entities.