Big hitting Wales

Globalisation and increasing technical advances means the aerospace companies face testing times. Aerospace Wales' John Whalley and Paul Lindsay tell Ed Hill how being a member of one of the UK's aerospace clusters can help them tackle thee challenges and find new markets.

With companies ranging from the Airbus wing plant employing more than 5,000 people to small family firms, Aerospace Wales (AW) encompasses most aspects of aerospace manufacturing. The cluster was established ten years ago by Wales' devolved government to help promote the industry. “We describe ourselves as team Wales. Our remit is to be the voice of the industry,” explains chief executive, John Whalley. “We maintain an active dialogue with the Welsh Government and promote the cluster and its growth.” Wales isn't short of companies working in the sector. More than 160 firms are on the cluster's books, employing 23,000 people. One of the main roles for the team is helping smaller companies who don't have the resources to identify industry developments and demands and the opportunities they create. “We help get the message across from the big manufacturers and trade associations to the smaller companies and Welsh government,” Whalley states. “We support them with funding and help with of programmes such as SC21 and the European Framework on the innovations side.” Forging the links Devolution means the AW team can build a strong relationship with those in power. “From my perspective getting access to the Welsh Assembly is easier than Westminster,” notes Whalley. “I can have a personal relationship with the First Minister, for example, which you would never have with David Cameron. Aerospace Wales is one of the smaller clusters in the UK, but it has some key players in the industry. Wings for all of Airbus' civil aircraft, including the A380, are made at its Broughton site; Hawker Beechcraft, also in Broughton, has its main MRO for its executive jets and GE Aviation repairs and services jet engines made by all the major manufacturers at Nantgarw, South Wales. However, the majority of AW members are SMEs and it's working with these companies where the cluster can really make a difference. Continues Whalley: “We've had some real success stories. For example, Saygrove Systems was an electronics company working in a small way in aerospace, but after discussions with them they decided to look into design and technology and now they make flight control systems for UAVs. They've been acquired by the Triumph Group in the US, and we hope this will be a springboard for Triumph to expand further into the UK and Europe.” Other companies that have benefited from being members of the cluster include investment casting specialists Tritech in Wrexham, Laminate Technology in Knighton and FAUN Trackway on Anglesey, developers of temporary landing strips for aircraft, helicopters and UAVs. “Our links go all around the world, particularly where there's a strong Welsh Government presence,” adds Whalley. “We can help companies that engage with us to understand the markets.” Another key area is encouraging new employees into manufacturing. Paul Lindsay operations director for AW explains: “We work very closely with colleges and universities. We attend career fairs to tell young people about the industry, not just in Wales but in the rest of the UK and around the world. There are jobs in all parts of aerospace, not just in engineering but also in design, sales and marketing.” However, the team are keen to emphasise that AW is just one of the many clusters in the UK. “We're not fortress Wales,” Lindsay continues. “We encourage working with all UK companies and work very closely with the ADS and with the other regional clusters in Britain. We know we're small compared to some of the other trade organisations and associations, but we do punch above our weight.” Increasing the reach The cluster also plays an important role in driving technology through its involvement with Welsh universities and industry research programmes. “We have a number of research projects,” Whalley affirms. “The Astute programme lead by Swansea University and others is aimed at developing advanced manufacturing and aiding innovation across all manufacturing sectors. “The Welsh government has a significant record in investing in aerospace projects. Two of the national programmes they've signed up to include ASTRAEA, which involves a number of companies developing unmanned technology and the Next Generation Composite Wing programme.” So with all this enterprise, what does the team see as the major challenges facing aerospace? “If you look at the civil market, Boeing and Airbus have five-year backlogs, so the biggest problem is ramping up production,” Whalley observes. “We may be a in a double dip recession but the lifecycle of aircraft manufacturing means airlines cannot cancel their slots. The real challenge is how the UK supply chain can react to the surge in demand.” The team see the role of the cluster as vital in helping to create cooperation between companies down the supply chain. “There's a paradox in the civil market; although there is an upswing in demand the primes are worried that Europe cannot keep up with the supply chain they need,” warns Whalley. “The pressure top down on suppliers is enormous, so the real challenge is getting companies to work more efficiently. “There is a need for extended enterprise, for companies to work together more collaboratively. Innovation and technology is just part of what companies need to do. Prime contractors say they don't want to deal with thousands of suppliers. If you look at the automotive industry the primes are the designers and integrators who have a handful of suppliers, but those tier one suppliers are still faced with the same problems.” Whalley goes on to says globalisation is a reality that industry must accept: “Saygrove is now Triumph Actuation and Control System-UK. Tritech is linked to the Neterwala Group in India, but parent companies are happy to invest in the UK. If it's done that way it can be a positive thing. We need to recognise the changes and look at the way we work so we can stay in business.” The Farnborough Airshow will be the ideal opportunity to spread the word on industry collaboration according to Whalley. “The real excitement will be the dialogue that we have with other companies and organisations that are there, to try and drive the idea of linking companies into clusters and onto the next stage with tier one companies and a greater global focus,” he concludes. “Farnborough is the perfect place to drive that forward, where we can develop relationships between suppliers and customers. By using our knowledge and getting people to talk to one another we can get novel solutions by combining companies rather than going it alone.” www.aerospacewalesforum.com