Firms to gather at RAF Cosford to get key advice on aerospace and defence contracts
Oct 13 2009 by Graeme Brown, Birmingham Post
One of the largest aerospace and defence gatherings ever held in the West Midlands is due to take place this week.
More than 150 companies will descend on RAF Cosford in Shropshire on Thursday for a national Task Force event, called SC21, that will chart the success of a £1.5 million supply chain initiative.
The scheme is already helping more than 30 local manufacturers become more competitive and in a position to win a share of the £1 billion pool of global contracts.
Delegates will also see video case studies and presentations from a number of West Midlands companies, who are on the journey towards world class recognition, including Arrowsmith Engineering (Coventry), Burcas, G&O Springs, Precision Micro and Technoset.
“We launched the Advantage West Midlands and European Regional Development Fund-backed £1.5 million World Class Supply Chain initiative in January in front of 170 people and I’m delighted to say the response was tremendous and a lot of businesses came forward to take advantage of the in-depth support on offer,” explained MAS-WM’s Cliff Johnson.
“These companies have been working with specialist aerospace and defence experts to identify and implement key manufacturing improvements, all geared towards recognition within the SC21 programme and importantly making them more efficient and competitive when looking to win new business on the next generation of aircraft and numerous defence projects set to be tendered.
“The fact we have more than 150 businesses set to attend tells you how important the industry is taking this programme and we are delighted that the West Midlands is helping lead the way in setting standards.”
The event, organised by the Manufacturing Advisory Service in association with ADS group, will feature keynote speakers who will outline the impact of the programme on the industry and new funding opportunities. The speakers will include SC21 chairman Peter Hogg, programme manager Ian Wilcox of the National Skills Academy for Manufacturing and Iain Low and Huw Gullick, from Rolls Royce Submarines.
Some of the first companies in the UK to secure SC21 Awards will also be announced at the event, including one from the West Midlands.
Mr Johnson concluded: “The aerospace and defence industries are crucial to our region and we are determined to do everything we can do to help support companies to be truly world class.”
SC21 is the single, co-ordinated industrial change programme for the UK aerospace and defence industries and has been established to accelerate national competitiveness. It is recognised by the MOD and all sixteen of the UK aerospace and defence primes such as Aero Engine Controls, Goodrich, Rolls-Royce, GKN and BAE Systems, as a framework for excellence.
