More than 60 professionals took part in a workshop aimed at introducing Asturian companies to the opportunities offered by the sector and the resources available to boost their processes of internationalisation.
Gijón, 7 October 2026. The growing activity in the defence < a4> defence and dual-use sector is opening up new opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises beyond the domestic market. To take advantage of them requires, however, understanding and anticipating the requirements, certifications and procedures specific to which determine access to the markets European and international.
To this end, the State Secretariat for Trade, through the Regional Directorate for Trade and ICEX, organised, in conjunction with Asturias Hub Defensa, the conference ‘Requirements and Opportunities in the Defence and Dual-Use Sector’, held at the Gijón Science and Technology Park, which brought together more than 60 professionals, mainly representatives of SMEs interested in entering the sector or expanding their activities in this field.
The official opening was led by Amaya Beyebach Bendisch, Regional Director for Trade and ICEX in Asturias, and Carolina Díaz, Director of Asturias Hub Defensa, who emphasised the importance of providing Asturian companies with the tools, knowledge and support needed to participate in an increasingly strategic market with a growing international dimension.
The meeting was designed to provide companies with a practical insight into the requirements that are posed by this market and of the tools for support available to tackle their processes of internationalisation. In this regard, the Deputy Director-General for International Trade of Defence and Dual-use Materials of the Ministry of State for Trade, Rafael Coloma, explained the main aspects relating to the regulation and export of defence material and dual-use products and technologies, facilitating furthermore a direct channel for dialogue with the companies taking part.
According to Carolina Díaz, director of Asturias Hub Defence, ‘The market for defence offers today opportunities that go far beyond beyond our own borders. We have SMEs from Asturias with industrial and technological capabilities which can find their place in those supply chains, but to compete abroad, it is essential to be familiar with the rules of the sector, to anticipate the requirements and to know which tools are available to them disposal to tackle that process”.
From requirement to practice
The conference also incorporated the perspective of companies that are already operating in these markets. In a round-table discussion moderated by Carolina Díaz, representatives from Rheinmetall Expal Munitions, ITEMAT Mecanización and Olmar shared their experience and the key lessons learnt drawn from their work in defence, providing SMEs with a practical perspective on the requirements of the sector and integration into supply chains of international supply.
Attendees were able to gain first-hand insight into the challenges involved in entering this market, the growth opportunities it offers, and the importance of specialisation, innovation and business collaboration in gaining access to new projects and markets.
The event concluded with a discussion session between speakers and attendees, followed by a networking event that encouraged the exchange of experiences and the forging of new professional connections between companies, institutions and stakeholders in the defence sector.
Through this initiative, ICEX and Asturias Hub Defensa are strengthening their partnership to help more Asturian SMEs identify opportunities in the defence and dual-use sectors and provide them with the knowledge and support needed to pursue these opportunities outside Spain as well.
