Aerospace sector given £7.1m boost

THE North West aerospace sector – said to be worth £7bn to the regional economy – has been given a boost with the award of a major grant to help strengthen the supply chain.

Burnley-based North West Aerospace Alliance (NWAA) has been given £7.1m to continue its work with the small and medium-sized businesses that supply the sector.

The cash, provided by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) will help the alliance to train staff and forge new relationships.

The scheme will build on an earlier initiative, the Aerospace Supply Chain Excellence (ASCE) programme launched in 2006, that saw the alliance work with 30 suppliers. It said 300 jobs had been created or safeguarded as a result of the programme.

The project will be led and managed by the NWAA and a dedicated steering group which will include the NWDA, BAE Systems, Airbus UK, Rolls Royce, and representatives from the business support sector and academia.

“It is expected to help the North West aerospace supply chain compete in a global industry, which will help in winning valuable contracts with the main manufacturers,” said the NWDA in a statement.

NWDA chief executive Steven Broomhead said: “The ASCE1 programme is taking our regional supply-chain to the next level and ASCE2 will take us to the top of the ladder, offering a world class integrated cluster capable of competing globally.”

Martin Wright, chief executive of the NWAA, said: “This is a significant milestone for the NWAA and the regional aerospace supply chain. It will be a major part of ensuring the North West remains the lead region for aerospace in the UK and builds its ability to compete on a global scale.”

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.