Top quality panel set to debate Midland aerospace sector
THE health of the aerospace sector and the crucial role it plays in the West Midlands economy will be the focus of a major breakfast seminar next month organised by the University of Birmingham in association with TheBusinessDesk.com.
Taking part in Aerospace 2013, a panel-led discussion on the morning of Tuesday June 11, will be specialists from Rolls-Royce and the region’s aerospace supply chain, together with academic experts from the university and a senior sector analyst from KPMG.
They will outline their thoughts on the current state of the sector and highlight future trends to an invited audience.
The event, at the Noble Room at the University of Birmingham, has already attracted a number of high-level panellists including Professor Paul Withey, specialist in castings technology at Rolls-Royce and Jason Aldridge, managing director of Coventry-based component supplier Arrowsmith Engineering.
Joining them will be University of Birmingham pro-vice chancellor Professor Richard Williams OBE and Glynn Bellamy, UK head of aerospace and defence at KPMG.
Arrowsmith, which provides precision engine and braking components for some of the world’s leading aerospace tier 1 suppliers, is expecting to hit a record £3.5m turnover in 2013.
Mr Aldridge said: “The key to our recent success is developing more strategic partnerships with our customers, which include the likes of Rolls Royce UK, Aero Engine Controls, Eaton Aerospace, Pattonair and Meggitt.
“This means we have started to work a lot more at the front end of a project so we can start adding value in the design and development stage, offering solutions to potentially critical manufacturing issues.”
The University of Birmingham has been collaborating with the aerospace industry for several decades.
With world class facilities for materials research in its School of Metallurgy and Materials, it has developed key expertise relevant to the aerospace industry in titanium based alloys, net shape manufacture, composites and casting technology.
Further expertise includes energy saving and waste reduction in manufacturing processes and laser fabrication.
The University of Birmingham is a founding partner of the Manufacturing Technology Centre and recently announced a partnership with Rolls-Royce to build a £60m High Temperature Research Centre – a casting, design, simulation and advanced manufacturing research facility.
The discussion will be chaired by Duncan Tift, deputy editor of TheBusinessDesk.com. He said: “We are delighted that the University of Birmingham has partnered with us to stage an event on one of the hot sectors of the moment.
“Aerospace is crucial to the future of manufacturing and the wider economy in this area and the intention of this event is to bring together those involved in the sector with SMEs and professionals to discuss – amongst other things – how the sector is developing and any barriers to growth, issues relating to skills and resources and opportunities for firms who perhaps aren’t in the aerospace supply chain at present.
“We intend this event to be a thorough audit of the aerospace sector and its place within the West Midlands economy and I would urge anyone with an interest in this subject to attend.”
The event is 7.30am for an 8am start and will finish around 9.15am.
If you would like to attend the event please email Stephanie Higgins at stephanie.higgins@thebusinessdesk.com
If you would like to ask the panel a question please include this in your email.
