Matchmaking concept hits the UK

Aerospace Manufacturing and BCI Aerospace together profile world-class aerospace industry suppliers of note.

and contract manufacturers the opportunity to meet through BCI's established B2B format. After a successful few years expanding its business to business meeting events at key locations around the world, BCI Aerospace is responding to demand from the UK sector by replicating the format in the centre of the country's largest aerospace cluster. One of the most ‘complete' in the world, with many of the global primes having a presence, the South East region boasts a breadth of capability including aerostructures, engines, rotorcraft, UAV technology, avionics, landing gear and systems, so is considered the ideal place to host an event designed to attract many overseas buyers.

The idea behind the supply chain orientated event is to improve the opportunities for UK and international manufacturers and service providers to identify new partners and discuss business opportunities through pre-arranged, targeted meetings. Adding value, the organiser is also planning a series of conferences to discuss market development, as well as scientific, industrial and technical advances. Other sessions will cover procurement and supply chain policies, exclusively presented by OEM participants. A series of workshops focused on technologies and products complete the line-up.

Already, the event has the support of the main trade bodies, with A|D|S and the West of England Aerospace Forum (WEAF) partnering and UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), GKN Aerospace, Bristol City Council and the West of England Partnership lending support.

Trade show with a difference

As an alternative to the typical trade show, the B2B format has proved popular over recent years as an efficient and low cost way to achieve new business, as UKTI's head of aerospace Neil Semple describes: “BCI has a strong track record, principally through Aeromart Toulouse and Aerosolutions Bordeaux, which UK companies have attended over recent years. Because of the high level of involvement from this country in those events, BCI felt it was worth having an event here. The UK has the second largest aerospace sector in the world with some very strong companies in the Bristol area and a very strong supply chain of over 2,500 companies. In that context, it is the natural place to hold the event.

“UKTI has arranged its own B2B events in the past and there have been a number of regional events in the UK. What BCI brings to it however, is that it has some very good contacts, especially in the European industry. This is why we are quite keen to support it.”

Director of market development for A|D|S David Scotter adds: “For the SMEs in particular it is a very productive way of doing things because it may be more cost-effective than some larger shows and they can meet many potential partners all in one place. They also know who they are going to meet in advance so the indvidual benefits are very clear. “We've agreed to be a partner in order to market the event to UK suppliers who attend. We feel that more companies might be able to get involved as the associated costs of travelling to this type of event would be largely reduced and we're encouraging all the major OEMs in the UK to participate and send their procurement teams.” “It's a unique way of running a ‘meet the buyer' event,” explains WEAF's CEO Barry Warburton, “where the buyer goes to the supplier rather than the other way around. We are just trying to get people to attend and maximise the opportunities. There are a lot of people interested at the moment, especially as there will be a good number of foreign buyers there. “A lot of the smaller companies rely on the primes for exports so it is a good opportunity for them to promote themselves directly. In this day and age, if you only supply the UK you limit your opportunities so the global market is another way forward.” Accessing overseas markets

BCI is expecting to have around 120 British and 150 overseas companies present with 20 countries represented, amounting to 5,000 meetings in total, so there will be many export opportunities for those present.

Semple adds: “We recognise that the route to actually winning business in international markets is not through direct exports, it's about getting to meet the key tier one partners, which is what events like Aerospace & Defence Meetings Bristol offer. As for the export opportunities, the rapidly developing countries in the east will be important, but there is still much progress to be made in Brazil with Embraer and in countries with regional jet capabilities like Russia and Japan. We can't discount the US either, which is still the largest aerospace market in the world, but we've got a strong focus on the emerging markets and would want UK companies to position themselves to supply those.”


Scotter concludes: “Each year we produce an international strategy for UK aerospace based on data and analysis from major UK companies consolidated into a view on the opportunities on a platform and market basis. What we've seen this year is that the traditional markets and OEM's still present a lot of opportunities, especially with new programmes coming online like the Boeing 787, Airbus A350 and Bombardier's CSeries. Looking forward, there will also be new short range aircraft programmes with replacements needed for the 737 and A320 and we clearly want to position the UK well for those when they develop. However, the event is also an important chance to meet with delegates from emerging aerospace markets such as China, Brazil and India. ” With A|D|S, UKTI and WEAF all working to identify suppliers and buyers for the event, a wide cross-section of the industry will be expected to attend. And, for those looking for a more focused approach to creating new business contacts and raise their profile in fornt of a captive export market, Aerospace & Defence Meetings Bristol should offer an effective, alternative way of winning orders.

Organiser of leading industry events, BCI Aerospace is the advanced business meetings – abe's specialised division for the aeronautics, space and defence sectors

www.bciaerospace.com