Coventry selected as base for £40m aerospace initiative

COVENTRY has been chosen as the base for a national programme aimed at supporting the growth of the aerospace sector.

The National Aerospace Technology Programme (NATEP) is a £40m programme to help develop technologies for new products or manufacturing processes. The programme is designed to create or retain 1,200 jobs in the aerospace supply chain.

More than 30 SME suppliers have applied for a share of the NATEP funding to help develop future technologies and the programme will make a series of funding calls between now and 2015.

Five industry experts based at the University of Warwick Science Park’s Business Innovation Centre in Binley will work with a team in each of the UK’s regional aerospace alliances managing NATEP.

Dave Dawson, the programme’s director, said: “The aim of the programme is to aid innovation in UK aerospace sector in order to allow us to produce new technologies at a greater rate than our competitors.

“The regional version of this programme had initially taken place here in Binley with help from the Midlands Aerospace Alliance so it seemed like a great place to work from, to build on the success of that scheme.

“The technologies can be anything from ceramics in aircraft brakes to design methods for tyres and heat exchanges systems.”

Rolls Royce, Airbus, Bombardier, Spirit Aerosystems, GKN and AgustaWestland are all sponsoring the programme.

Penny Robb, the BIC manager, said: “This is a fantastic initiative designed to encourage greater innovation in a huge market and we are delighted to be in a position to help ensure it is a success.

“Our central location makes the centre a great site from which to manage national programmes such as this.”

NATEP will be managed by aerospace trade organisation, ADS and delivered across the English regions by the Farnborough Aerospace Consortium, Midlands Aerospace Alliance, North West Aerospace Alliance, and West of England Aerospace Forum.