Rise to the challenge

ahead for aerospace suppliers.

No-one can doubt that aerospace is an exciting industry to be part of. The very notion of air travel carries with it a certain amount of glamour. And, as the home of the first powered flight, the UK has been at the heart of the industry since its inception.

It was this history, combined with the exciting opportunities presented by contemporary programmes such as the Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner that encouraged me to take a different route from many of my university counterparts, entering the world of aerospace engineering rather than the automotive sector.

So, two years on, what have I learned about the sector and the challenges we face? Having joined Doncasters Graduate Development Programme in September 2008, I completed four, six-month placements at different sites, including a spell working at one of our US engineering facilities.

By its very nature, the aerospace industry is international, but gloablisation is a very real and pressing issue for the sector. Not only is it clear that developing international experience is imperative for industry leaders but, ideally, this should now be extended to include experience working in emerging economies.

Although during my placement I was working within the same Group of companies, it quickly became apparent that there are notable differences between the UK and US in terms of market structures, economic drivers and how the industries operate at a national level – all of which has a significant impact on how individual businesses are run.

With such differentials between two apparently similar countries, it is inevitable that increasingly working in emerging markets and lower cost economies will only magnify these challenges.
International understanding and personal relationships are at the heart of any business operation, so gaining personal experience of a country's culture and business systems, and being geographically close to suppliers, customers and partners, will become vital as the industry develops.

As an industry, it's also clear that we still have much to learn from the automotive sector in terms of overhauling manufacturing systems and supply chain practices.

While the Airbus A380 and Boeing Dreamliner projects have seen a revolution in terms of supply chain management, traditional aerospace supply chains typically involve a series of small links that add cost and delays to the manufacturing process. With OEMs looking to increase efficiencies across the board, more support is needed to help suppliers overhaul their processes.

At Doncasters we've made great strides, integrating processes from superalloy production through to machining and assembly and investing time and money in systems, skills and facilities that will further enhance our performance. But there's always more that can be done.

No business can realistically stop its day-to-day operations or financially support a complete overhaul of its processes, not least in the hard-pressed manufacturing sector. But, with the skill sets of workers in lower cost economies rapidly improving, overseas companies will become more of a threat unless traditional manufacturers up their game.

The changes and challenges ahead are, of course, part of what makes the aerospace industry such an exciting sector to work in and I'm looking forward to playing my part over the coming years. There are real opportunities ahead but, as an industry, traditional suppliers will have to invest in new processes, skills and systems if they are to survive and flourish.

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