Small suppliers exhibiting at the Paris air show will for the first time be offered one-to-one "speed dating" meetings with some of the industry's biggest names.
The initiative is part of a move by the organiser GIFAS to provide a better deal for small and medium-size enterprise customers who often struggle to be noticed.
The show's sales director Francois Roudier says the "B2B meetings", held over three days, are "totally new for an air show". He expects around 50 airframers and tier-one manufacturers, along with more than 300 SMEs, to register for the scheme. Meetings will be set up on line and SMEs will pay a fee of €500 ($750), refundable if they are unsuccessful in arranging at least one meeting.
The 47th show, which takes place on 18-24 June, will also include a careers fair over the 22-24 June public days and events to celebrate the 50th anniversary of spaceflight.
Source: Flight International
