Innovation Strategy
Innovation is one of the key areas EADS is focusing on as growth drivers for the future. EADS has established various programmes of cooperation with universities and scientific organisations to develop jointly new technologies, and is continuously evaluating new opportunities to extend partnerships in this area.
Policy
“EADS’ innovation strategy aims at increasing competitiveness
and profitability through promoting an innovation continuously
improving quality of services and products as well as efficiency of
processes.”
Organisation
The Chief Technical Officer’s mission is to be the EADS focal point for R&T. The CTO ensures that business strategy and technology strategy are closely linked and he is responsible for the development of design and manufacturing tools and innovation across EADS. The CTO is a member of the EADS Executive Committee and he has the responsibility for the entire R&T budget and R&T production within EADS.
The CTO delivers shareholder value through a stringent, leading-edge R&T portfolio that enables flawless introduction of new technologies on future products with strong returns-on-investment. He also aims to maximise customer excitement by providing high-value solutions that meet the technological, performance, safety, and cost-competitive pressures that challenge the Company’s future. In addition, he addresses societal responsibilities with solutions answering the paramount considerations of safety, security, environmental compatibility and energy efficiency.
The CTO steers the EADS-wide harmonisation of transversal technical processes, methods and tools, and skills development programmes, such as Systems Engineering, common tools for Product Life-Cycle Management (PLM/Phenix) and Systems Engineering Training and Qualification. He also carries out specific technical assessments on behalf of the CEO and the EADS Executive Committee.
The head of the EADS Innovation Works reports to the CTO. Innovation Works are in charge of the corporate R&T production facilities that guarantee the Group’s technical innovation potential with a focus on the long-term horizon. Driven by the EADS R&T strategy, they identify new technologies that will create value and competitive advantages. The EADS Innovation Works have two main sites in Paris and Munich and employ approximately 650 people including doctorates and university interns. Proximity centres are maintained in Toulouse, Nantes and Hamburg to support the knowledge transfer to BUs in these locations. A liaison office is operating in Moscow, which facilitates relations with Russian scientific institutes. EADS operates a R&T centre in Singapore and also launched a centre in Spain and in 2007, in the U.K.
The corporate EADS Innovation Works and the EADS R&T community in the Divisions maintain and expand established academic research partnerships with leading universities and high-tech engineering schools by employing thesis students, post-graduate interns and doctorate candidates as well as by contracting specific research projects.
Members in the support and R&T enabler groups of the CTO’s organisation ensure that R&T is an integral part of the business, by maintaining strong links with the business development organisation, human resources, finance, intellectual property, standardisation and communication.
Performance and Best Practices
Across EADS, 2008 was a signifi cant year for technology development, with notable innovations ranging from civil aircraft fuel cell research to synthetic fuel testing.
EADS filed 1,088 patent applications during 2008, up from 792 in 2006. In the United States, EADS ranked fourth for patent applications in the aerospace sector, according to The Patent Board. Management is actively marketing EADS-patented technology to companies in other sectors.
| 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | |
|
New inventions filed (some of which covered by several patents) | 1,088 | 967 | 792 | 586 | 521 |
| EADS patents portfolio (year end) | 25,665 | 20,653 | 18,366 | 15,036 | 13,515 |
Besides the major projects under development, all products in serial production are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis.
