Military contractor launches South West office as it targets region’s defence industry
An engineering consultancy specialising in sensitive and mission-critical military work has officially opened its new headquarters in Bristol.
RC Fornax, which will employ up to 50 staff at the site in Aztec West, said the move highlighted Bristol’s status as a strategic hub for shaping the future of the UK defence industry.
The firm was founded in 2021 by RAF veterans Paul Reeves and Daniel Clark who, having also worked for a number of years as defence contractors, saw a gap in the market for what they call high-impact work package solutions for critical military platforms. Within a year it had gone from start-up to a £5m turnover.
With an office in Manchester, its new state-of-the-art Bristol base has been designed to meet the Ministry of Defence’s Facility Security Clearance (FSC) standards, reflecting the sensitive and mission-critical nature of RC Fornax’s work.
The group said the majority of is customers operated in the area while the new base would also be close to the Ministry of Defence’s Defence Equipment & Support arm at Abbey Wood. It will also tap into South West’s talent pool.
RC Fornax said the move was not only a milestone for the company but also reflected its commitment to supporting the Bristol economy by creating new high-value job opportunities, but would also enable it to collaborate with local businesses to strengthen supply chains and drive greater economic activity.
Paul Reeves, RC Fornax chief executive officer, said the opening of the new headquarters in Bristol was a significant step forward for the business.
“It not only provides us with the secure infrastructure required to support our growing portfolio of defence programmes, but it also reflects our long-term commitment to Bristol and the South West,” he added.
“We’re proud to invest in a region that continues to play a vital role in shaping the future of UK defence, and we look forward to building strong local partnerships and creating high-value opportunities as we grow.”
The South West has the second highest MoD spending in the UK – £6.9bn a year against £7.9bn in the South East – and is home to many of the country’s largest defence contractors, including BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce and missile systems firm MBDA in Bristol, Babcock in Bristol and Plymouth, Leonardo Helicopters in Yeovil and Avon Technologies in Melksham, Wiltshire.
