Aerospace firms gear up for Paris show

NORTH West suppliers to the aerospace industry will seek to bolster their reputations at a major air show next week.

More than 20 businesses are travelling to the Paris International Air Show to showcase their services at a time when the sector is facing increased competition from overseas manufacturers.

The group is being led by the Burnley-based North West Aerospace Alliance (NWAA). It supports aerospace-related firms in the North West which contribute £7bn to the regional economy every year.

The UK is the second-biggest supplier to aerospace after the US but more component production and aircraft assembly is moving east to countries such as Malaysia and China.

NWAA chief executive Martin Wright said: “We’re starting to see these major shifts so the people who provide the work may not be in the UK or France. The supply chain is becoming more diverse and complicated.

“If you want to protect your interests the supply chain has got to be capable of working in this environment.”

He said companies such as Manchester-based Hyde Group, Accrington-based RLC-Callender and APPH in Bolton and Runcorn, will be showcasing their capabilities at the air show which attracted 770,000 visitors when it was last staged in 2007.

The aerospace sector in the North West is focused on military contracts through the presence of BAE Systems near Preston. But around 40% of the work is dedicated to civil aviation.

Mr Wright said a downturn in the industry was forecast during the next few years but current orders and future demand were sufficent to maintain the sector. He said one of the biggest challenges was finding skilled staff.

The Paris show runs from June 15-21.