TRANSFER once again did the matchmaking for the participants of this royal mission and made appointments for them with key Portuguese players from the renewable energy & environmental technology, airport & aerospace sectors. Although the mission was aimed at exploring Dutch aviation and energy sector opportunities, the first contracts were immediately signed this week.

The fact that this trade mission to Portugal has already borne its first fruit so soon was very positive for Minister Ploumen (Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation): ‘Portugal is an important trading partner, with a long common maritime history. Government, companies and knowledge institutions of both countries can learn a lot from each other in the field of sustainable energy and exchange the latest insights in the field of aviation.’

Thus, with 35 companies from the aviation and energy sectors, Dutch business was well represented within these sectors. The Netherlands exports 3.1 billion to Portugal annually. Conversely, Portugal exports 2.5 billion to the Netherlands.

Minister Ploumen, together with the companies, visited, among others, the airport of Lisbon, which wants to expand with a second location near the capital. The Dutch entrepreneurs present clearly saw opportunities here. She also paid a working visit to aviation manufacturer OGMA and spoke with the Portuguese Minister of Infrastructure about economic cooperation.

In 1990, Queen Beatrix paid a state visit to Portugal. In 1989, then-President Soares of Portugal had been on a state visit to the Netherlands.

Stijn Vos, Managing Director at Esdec
“The purpose of participating in this economic mission on Portugal was to strengthen our position there, especially given the Portuguese government support t.a.v. renewable energy. TRANSFER put us in contact with the right channels to our great satisfaction and thus interested us to also discuss other countries with them.”

Maarten Barthel, Business Manager Energy and Datacenters at Groningen Seaports
“Our focus in this visit to Portugal was to gain knowledge of the recycling and energy industry in Portugal with the aim of establishing long-term relationship management. TRANSFER put us in touch with key decision makers from these sectors and we also had several opportunities to network with potential Portuguese investors and among ourselves within the delegation. In short: a productive mission.”

Besides the matchmaking arrangements set up for each participant and the strengthening of ties with partners, the mutual contacts with the other participants often prove very valuable during a mission. So witness the interview with Emmaly Sibbes, public affairs manager at Fokker Technologies.

NPO has reported on the mission, with around minute 16 an impression of one of the dinners with TRANSFER Managing Director Gerald Baal and Hein Cuppen in conversation with their table partners. Click here