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26^th July 2004 (Source: The MIA )

UK motorsport companies exhibiting in the MIA Motorsport Valley Pavilion at the Farnborough International Airshow (being held this year from July 19-25) have reported significant levels of interest from aerospace buyers in their high performance engineering products and services. 

This is the first time that non-aerospace companies have exhibited at the bi-annual show, made possible thanks to a valuable financial contribution from the Government Motorsport Unit (GMU).  The funding was recommended by the Motorsport Development Board (MDB) - the body set up last year by the Department of Trade and Industry to advise on the allocation of £16million for the development of UK motorsport.

Five leading Formula One teams came to the MIA Motorsport Valley Pavilion to make contact with a selection of aerospace supplier companies at the show, as well as with the various motorsport exhibitors.  Digby Jones, Director General of the CBI, warmly welcomed the technology transfer initiative during a visit to the MIA Motorsport Valley Pavilion earlier in the week. 

Comments from motorsport businesses exhibiting at Farnborough International 2004:

• "The show is even better than we had anticipated.  We've actually sold our products from our stand while we've been here and have explored some interesting business sponsorship opportunities." - David Price, Company Director at System Store Solutions
• "The show has provided an excellent base to raise awareness of our offerings within a significant new market.  We've had a number of positive conversations already which bode well for our future commercial growth in the aerospace sector." - Graham Miller, Head of Advantage at BAR/Prodrive
• "Our new Teflon-aluminium titan-lite range has been received very enthusiastically.  We've had some senior-level interest from various helicopter manufacturers and numerous discussions on developing our business in the US.  This has been a really great show." - David Pierce, Managing Director of Applied Cooling Technology
• "Our involvement in the Airshow has been very beneficial, revealing a completely new business area that we had not previously considered." - Robin Price, Business Development Manager at Xtrac
• "This has been an excellent awareness-raising exercise, with encouraging responses from a multitude of varied prospective clients that I've spoken to during the event." - Dick Taylor, Marketing Manager at CTS
• "We've conducted high-level discussions with companies from both the aerospace and motorsport world.  This is very pleasing progress which all stems directly from being at Farnborough International." - Simon Holloway, Sales and Marketing Manager at Pi Research
  Awareness of the new Pavilion has been significantly boosted by the various motorsport-themed demonstrations out on the runways, and the wide range of static displays.  An action-packed treat remains in store for visitors to Farnborough International on the public days (Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 July), as the Fire Force Jet Drag Racer will go head-to-head against a fighter jet in a drag race on the main runway.

The MIA Motorsport Valley Pavilion at Farnborough International 2004 represented the first element of the new 'Motorsport to Aerospace' programme.  Next year the programme will support an MIA-led trade mission for UK motorsport companies to the Paris Air Show.  To find out more, contact Pim van Baarsen at the MIA on , or email . 

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