Plane Talk SUMMER 2023

Welcome to the latest edition of Plane Talk. Keeping you up-to-date with NWAA news, Member news and key dates for your diary.

PLANE TALK

SUMMER 2023

Skills City

The partnership propelling talent into the aerospace industry

Also: MoD awards multi-million pound contract to BAE | Members’ award success Investing in green infrastructure | Annual ball 2023

NWAA Chairman’s summer statement By Prof Andy Schofield

By Paula Gill NWAA Chief Exec’s summer statement

CONTENTS

02 Chairman’s statement

A very warm welcome to the latest edition of the Plane Talk Magazine. Since the last edition, we have had a very eventful 3 months. The highlight must be the Annual Conference that was held at the end of March at the Dunkenhalgh Hotel. The theme of the conference was ‘The Challenge of Achieving Sustainable Growth for the Aerospace and Defence Sector’ and we had a line-up of outstanding and truly inspirational speakers. The conference, which was attended by 143 people, gave us a great insight into the Global Megatrends and the opportunities for the Advance Engineering and Manufacturing companies in the Aerospace and Defence sector. We also discussed the challenges for the sector in terms of addressing net-zero, improving the time to market and productivity, digital transformation, and skills development. The importance of collaboration, cross sector engagement, networking, digital technologies, and strong leadership were highlighted as key enablers needed to address these challenges and put the North West in a strong position. During my closing speech, I referred to two words that I believe came out strongly during the day – ‘Passion and Pride.’ There was immense passion for the Aerospace industry and great pride in the people and capability we have in the North West. We are at the heart of the Aerospace and Defence industry in the UK.

Hello and Welcome to the Summer!

The next events to take place will be:

I concluded with restating the focus of the NWAA, which is to deliver value to every member of the North West Aerospace Alliance by providing the opportunity to network, collaborate and promote their capabilities both in the UK and Internationally in order to increase future business opportunities. I firmly believe that the conference provided a great example of the progress we are making in trying to achieve our purpose. We are actively looking to increase our membership and build on the network and community that has strengthened over the last 12 months and I would encourage new companies to see how they can benefit from membership of the NWAA.

Also on the skills issues, NWAA have been awarded a contract from LCC to deliver our own Lancashire skills boot camps that will bring 30 individuals through training, up to level 3, in the Nuclear and Defence sectors, we are on the journey to make new in roads to drawing attention to our fantastic and dynamic industry for future careers. Watchtower continues to move from strength to strength, and it’s great to see so many more businesses are engaged into the process now. The businesses having been getting great results and the feedback is brilliant as there have been great successes being achieved. Included in these successes have been a number of Tier 1 businesses, who are keeping a close contact with us through the programme, are finding new supplier opportunities with the businesses that are engaged in the programme as they go on this amazing journey, uncovering additional capabilities and markets. Engagements and agreements have been made and new contracts offered and approved. Great News for the businesses on this journey of growth and discovery! – Have you signed up yet?? For any information on the new programmes and projects NWAA team are working on, on your behalf, please feel free to get in touch to find out where you can be part of the journey. For those of you that are attending the Paris Airshow this year, please reach out to us and let us know, as we will be visiting the show this year in preparation for Farnborough 2024 and would love to come and visit or meet up with you. Continue to shine as bright as the sun this summer!

03 CEO’s statement

ESG#2 being held at Siemens June ‘23 ESG#3 being held at Airbus Oct ‘23 ESG#4 being held at BAE Systems Nov ‘23 The low carbon supply chain and the net zero target, air, sea, land & bringing all of the themes of the previous ESG events together. The ESG #2 event is for only 40 guests (on a first come first served basis) and will be held at Siemens Motion Controls in Congleton to discuss how they brought forward and achieved the target of reaching net zero on site and reduced their costs for energy usage. You will need to reserve your place for this asap as it will fill up very quickly! Don’t miss out on this series of events, we are already taking reservations in advance of the final confirmation dates. In other news, the team at NWAA have engaged with ADS to launch the start of the new SCS program. The programme is the follow on from SC21 promises to help businesses to understand the customer landscape and expectations of Supply Chain Excellence for the future of sustainability in the industry and will be launched in the summer quarter. At NWAA we have also been listening to you and have taken into consideration the skills gap and the need for additional people embarking on a careers into our industry. With this in mind we have undertaken a contract with IN4 Group. The Manchester based business are delivering Skills boot camp based training programmes to roughly 160 people in areas of digital Skills, Data and Cyber. The candidates are looking to work in the Advanced engineering and manufacturing sectors, particularly around aerospace. Our partnership with IN4 Group will give us the opportunity to help place these candidates firstly in the North West and primarily within our member businesses. We will be helping our members be the first to take the opportunity to meet the candidates as they come through their intensive training and will help to address the skills gaps within your organisations, so get in touch if you are interested in exploring this further.

It’s been another busy and exciting quarter here at North West Aerospace Alliance. The team are busy working with many of our members and have organized a number of fantastic events with equally fantastic speakers. The conference was a huge success and completely sold out for the event in March, with speakers from Spirit AeroSystems (Sir Michael Ryan, Vice President ), GKN (Stephen Cowan, Vice President and GM), Airbus (Helen Swift UK Public Affairs Manager), Rolls Royce (Peter Lord, Director of Quality and HSE), HVM Catapults (Katherine Bennett, CEO) Accenture , (Mike Potter, Principal Director Aerospace and Defence), BAE Systems (Paul Wilde, Head of Tempest and Combat Vehicles - Air), Siemens (Sarah Black Smith, General Manager Motions Controls), Dassault Systemes (Lee Evans UK&I Client Director Aero, Defence, Transport and Mobility), MSP Ltd (Aidan Wigham, Technical Account Manager). It was a day full of talent, knowledge, conversation, introductions and networking from these great individuals, I hope you were lucky enough to attend. The launch of the Sustainability futures ESG series by NWAA started with Safran on 19th May being held on location at their Burnley Nacelles Site. The event was a sell out with many businesses on the wait list for available tickets. The Primes taking part in the ESG Series are working with the NWAA members within their supply chains, helping you to understand what is happening and changing in our industry and how you can start your journey to sustainability, reduce your carbon footprint and your costs to stay ahead of the curve.

04 NWAA & IN4 Group

06 Members’ News

23 Save the date

24 Annual Ball 23

Progress continues to be made on the Lancashire Advanced Engineering and

Manufacturing Watchtower Programme, which is aimed at helping improve competitiveness, resilience, and sustainability and almost fifty companies have now been engaged with on the programme. There is also great work being done by the Sector Growth task force group, which aims to ensure the Advanced Engineering and Manufacturing Sector in the North West is at the forefront of future market opportunities, such as Nuclear and Hydrogen as well as the established sectors, such as Aerospace and Defence and Automotive. The NWAA have also joined forces with IN4 on a programme aimed at developing digital skills in our regional supply chain and working closely with ADS to deliver the new Supply Chain Solutions programme across the North West. These are clearly exciting times in helping drive the Aerospace and Defence Industry in the North West forward.

Paula Gill NWAA Chief Exec

YOUR CONTENT

Prof Andy Schofield NWAA Chairman

Please forward all content for future editions of Plane Talk to our editor at Freshfield, Paul Tustin.

nwaa@freshfield.com

OUR STAKEHOLDERS

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NWAA News

The NWAA and IN4 Group join forces to propel local talent into the aerospace industry

The NWAA welcomes the following new members…

ESG Assessors

PGR Advisory - London

Glotronic Limited - Manchester

Businesswise Solutions - Nelson

The partnership is an important step forward in addressing the digital skills shortage in the region and supporting the growth of businesses in the aerospace industry with direct access to diverse, tech-ready talent from Skills City’s data analytics and cyber security Skills Bootcamps.

have witnessed first-hand the benefits that a programme like this can offer and I am looking forward to the NWAA providing the network with the advanced aerospace engineering and manufacturing companies in the region. This is a great step forward in helping develop the digital skills needed for the future.”

A landmark partnership between IN4 Group and The North West Aerospace Alliance (NWAA) will directly pathway over 160 local people from all backgrounds to job opportunities with employers from the advanced aerospace engineering and manufacturing supply chain in the North West.

Astech Projects Limited - Runcorn Cheshire

Mo Isap, CEO of IN4 Group, said:

Paula Gill, CEO of the NWAA, added:

Castle Tax Solutions - Preston, Lancashire

The collaboration will support local people with the training and development of the most in-demand tech skills and provide them with access to a clear pathway of career opportunities in the 125-plus companies that are part of the NWAA’s membership network. This includes 100 SMEs and blue- chip organisations such as Rolls Royce, BAE Systems, Safran and MBDA. Working directly with IN4 Group’s Skills City operation, which is now established as one of the country’s leading Digital Skills Bootcamp providers, with national contracts with the Department of Education, and in the North West with the Lancashire LEP and GMCA. Each year, Skills City pathways over 600 Interns into tech careers, from its faculty of Digital Engineering which includes bootcamps in the Cloud with AWS; data, cyber and

software with Microsoft; and Gametech which includes esports, Unity and Unreal Engine. Thirty-eight per cent of interns are female career changers and 53 per cent are from an ethnic minority. A unique attribute of Skills City is that each intern works on a live industry project over 6 weeks to showcase their talent to prospective employers. They can then progress as tech interns for a period of 6 to 12 months which offers employers a try-before-you-buy approach to talent acquisition. The NWAA represents around 25% of the UK aerospace industry, contributing a turnover in excess of £7 billion to the UK economy, which makes the North West region the largest air sector industry cluster in Europe.

established relationship with the chairman of the NWAA, Professor Andrew Schofield, who was the former director of programme technology integration at BAE Systems. Together, they developed the opportunity for learners from Skills City’s Digital Bootcamps to work with the BAE Systems team on industrial technology projects, gaining valuable mentoring, real-life experience and career insights into the advanced manufacturing and technology sector. Having seen the success of this proven programme with BAE Systems, which has supported more than 60 people so far, they aim to continue to break down the barriers of entry to the aerospace sector by introducing a new wave of talent to local employer networks as well as helping to upskill existing workforces in the industry.

“The North West has a strong industrial heritage and we are proud to be working with a prominent and influential organisation like the NWAA to establish this unique skills and talent partnership in the region. “We are excited to extend our Skills City operation into the region’s advanced aerospace engineering and manufacturing supply chain, where our ambition is to create the most diverse, local and industry-ready talent pipeline anywhere in the country. With the right support in place, these businesses will continue to thrive and contribute to the acceleration of future digital technologies.”

“The North West Aerospace Alliance is pleased to be working in collaboration with IN4 Group on their skills development and talent placements programme. “The advanced aerospace engineering and manufacturing sector is increasingly adopting new digital and cyber-based technologies into their businesses. Working with IN4 Group, the NWAA can ensure that the required digital skills being brought into the talent pipeline through this innovative skills initiative will help to address the skills gap and support future development of much-needed technology within the industry.”

Trident Metals - Deeside, Flintshire

Unicorn Road - Ribchester, Lancashire

Professor Andrew Schofield, Chairman of North West Aerospace Alliance, said:

“This is a fantastic opportunity to collaborate with IN4 Group on its Skills City initiative. I

The CEO of IN4 Group Mo Isap has an

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Member News

New multi-million pound investment to boost technologies for the UK’s future combat aircraft The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded a contract extension worth £656 million to BAE Systems to progress the concepting and technology of the next generation combat aircraft, known as Tempest in the UK.

Major milestone achieved at US facility of Velocity Composites Velocity Composites, the leading supplier of composite material kits to aerospace and other high-performance manufacturers, has completed the successful manufacture of the first composite production kits from its new advanced manufacturing facility in Alabama, US.

The new funding will build on the ground- breaking science, research and engineering already completed under the first phase of the contract delivered by UK Tempest partners BAE Systems, Leonardo UK, MBDA UK and Rolls-Royce. The UK Tempest partners, working in close collaboration with the MoD, will now progress the maturity of more than 60 cutting-edge technology demonstrations, digital concepts and new technologies. These are critical to the UK’s sovereign defence capability and will help shape the final requirements – together with the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) partners in Japan and Italy – for the combat air platform, due to enter service with the Royal Air Force by 2035. The aircraft is designed to be an innovative stealth fighter with supersonic capability and equipped with cutting-edge technologies, including state-of-the-art sensing and protection capabilities. This will make the aircraft one of the world’s most advanced, interoperable, adaptable and connected fighter jets in service, delivering battle-winning next generation weapons to protect the UK and its allies.

and expertise we have with our international partners – both in Europe and the Pacific - to deliver this world-leading fighter jet by 2035, protecting our skies for decades to come.”

major international partnership and ambitious endeavour between the UK, Japan and Italy with the shared goal to deliver the next generation of combat air fighter jets.” GCAP builds on the substantial progress already made in the UK by BAE Systems, Leonardo UK, MBDA UK, Rolls-Royce and the UK MoD who have been working in partnership since 2018 to research, evaluate and develop a host of next generation future combat air systems capabilities. The programme will span many decades, creating thousands of jobs and economic value to the UK, Italy and Japan while sustaining critical sovereign skills for the three nations. The programme is inspiring current and future generations to play their part in this vital international endeavour. There are already more than 2,800 people working at the UK partners and wider industry, with almost 600 organisations on contract, including SMEs and academic institutions. Across UK industry, work on this programme is driving investment in new digital technologies, tools and techniques, including model-based systems engineering with open architectures, digital twins and virtual environments. This will ensure the next generation combat aircraft will be delivered more rapidly and more cost-effectively than previous combat air programmes.

Richard Berthon, MOD Director Future Combat Air, said:

“Today, as planned, the UK MOD is releasing the next tranche of funding for future combat air. This shows that the UK is committed to working with international partners to deliver a next- generation fighter jet for 2035. “We are facing a growing threat from our adversaries, who are investing in combat air and air defences of their own. By investing in GCAP, we will stay ahead of these intensifying and proliferating threats, and provide a highly credible deterrent capability for decades to come.” Herman Claesen, Managing Director, Future Combat Air Systems - BAE Systems’ Air Sector, said: “This contract reflects the continued commitment by the UK Government and ensures we continue to mature this significant programme and the vital technology pipeline that will drive innovation into - and beyond - the combat air sector for decades to come.

The major development at the site supports the signing of a five-year Work Package Agreement in December last year with GKN Aerospace in the US, expected to be worth in excess of US$100 million in revenue over five years. The milestone is the culmination of an intensive period of training, audits, and approvals, during which the site successfully achieved approval of the AS9100, Rev. D quality management system in November last year. This was followed by several prime customer audits through December 2022 and early January 2023 and concluded in full customer audit approval and authority to proceed with First Article manufacture. This critical step is the ultimate verification by the customer that the site fit out and infrastructure, the trained processes and procedures, and the quality and transfer plans presented by Velocity exceed the required standard.

The detailed First Article plan that has been agreed with the customer can now be implemented, where one of every kit can be manufactured, delivered and verified prior to sustained volume production. This will be on a programme-by-programme basis leading to the phased transfer of all kits to Velocity supply, with the final programme scheduled to be completed within this financial year and the full rate of production starting either at or before the next financial year. In the future, the site will become a launch hub for other customer contracts, and high- level business development activities are already underway with several potential large customers.

fully operational site, a well-trained team, and a plan ready to start delivering flying products to our launch customer. “The site can move forward into production ramp-up with continued support from the UK team and close collaboration with our customer to ensure a smooth transfer of the entire project. “For myself and the Velocity team, the customer and industry approvals of this new showcase facility is further endorsement that our business model, processes and technology are world class in our industry, and our targeted business development activities are further enhanced by having a capable advanced manufacturing site in North America with significant capacity to grow.”

Jon Bridges, Chief Executive of Velocity Composites, said:

UK Secretary of State for Defence, Ben Wallace, said:

“This is a major milestone for Velocity Composites as we expand into North America. The whole Velocity team, both in the US and UK, have worked incredibly hard to deliver a

“The next tranche of funding for future combat air will help fuse the combined technologies

“This important work is at the core of the newly created Global Combat Air Programme; a

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Member News

Graham Engineering Ltd confirms agreement for acquisition by K-TIG Graham Engineering are delighted to announce that, subject to ASX approval and other legislative confirmations, a sale and purchase agreement has been made and contracts exchanged for K-TIG to acquire Graham Engineering Ltd.

Airframe Designs invests in green infrastructure Blackpool-based Airframe Designs Limited has completed the installation of solar panels and battery storage at their advanced engineering and manufacturing centre in the Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone.

Jerrod Hartley, CEO, remarked, ‘the installation aligns with our ambition to significantly reduce our energy consumption and reliance on the grid, and move towards being a low carbon footprint business’. In parallel, Airframe Designs, in partnership with the East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce Green Rose Initiative, has already started to implement an Environmental Management

System to meet ISO 14001 standards, with a view to being certified this year.

In addition, we have joined the SME Climate Hub and entered the United Nations ‘Race to Zero’, enabling the business to actively support the aerospace supply chain in meeting the industry challenge to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Graham Engineering has a strong and enduring foundation in nuclear product development leading to long term production agreements, and has applied this model to grow into other highly regulated markets requiring high integrity stainless steel (or other exotic metal) fabrications. Graham Engineering Ltd now provides advanced manufacturing solutions to clients across a broad-spectrum of industries including, nuclear, aerospace, security and medical industries. They have developed a range of innovative manufacturing processes including comprehensive fabrication facilities, laser profiling involving multi axis welding robotics, a variety of welding processes (including Robotics 3D Fibre Laser), 5 axis machining, large deep drawn pressing, forming, surface treatments (Vaqua Blasting), polishing, CMM inspection and final assembly. K-TIG, is an innovative technology and welding company incorporated in Australia and listed on the Australian Stock Exchange.

Their technology is complementary to Graham Engineering’s range of advanced manufacturing capabilities. K-TIG is a transformative, industry changing, welding technology that seeks to change the economics of fabrication. K-TIG’s high speed precision technology welds many times faster than traditional TIG welding in certain applications, achieving full penetration in a single pass in materials up to 16mm in thickness and typically operates at twice the speed of plasma welding. K-TIG works across a wide range of applications and is particularly well suited to corrosion resistant materials such as stainless steel, nickel alloys, titanium alloys and most exotic materials. It easily handles longitudinal and circumferential welds on pipes, spooling, vessels, tanks, and other materials in a single pass. Originally developed by the CSIRO, K-TIG owns all rights, title and interest in and to the proprietary and patented technology and has been awarded Australian Industrial Product of the Year and the DTC Defence Industry Award.

K-TIG CEO Adrian Smith stated:

” We are delighted to be securing the acquisition of Graham Engineering Ltd., and look forward to providing our technology in addition to the advanced manufacturing techniques already offered by Graham Engineering to the nuclear industry and other demanding sectors.”

MSP Saved BAE Systems £20 Million and....

Increased machine capacity by 50%

Graham Engineering Chairman, Tony Eckford commented:

“The completion of this acquisition by KTIG will provide long-term certainty, and affords Graham Engineering the opportunity to further strengthen and grow the capability and capacity of the company across a range of sectors.”

Reduced production time from 7 days to 4 hours 38 minutes

Reduced rework to zero

Read the full case study on page 1 1

mspltd.com | contactus@mspltd.com

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Member News

Delkia Goes from strength to strength

Specialist systems integrator Delkia, who provide industry proven design, build and qualification solutions - along with consultancy services - for mission critical industries in the aerospace, clean energy and maritime sectors, went from strength to strength in 2022, doubling turnover to circa £6M, with projected growth to £10M and over 100 staff & contractors in 2023.

These new appointees build on a powerful team, with over 125 years’ experience in aerospace:

Alan Watson – Business Development Director - worked with BAE Systems for 46 years across a wide variety of projects including Tornado, EAP, Typhoon and the Dreadnought submarine programme, with a focus on flight controls, active vehicle control, avionics and mechanical systems.

To meet demand, Delkia has grown its team with the appointment of Alan Barnes as Director of Aerospace, Geoff Cooper as Technical Manager for Aerospace and Peter Hudson as R&D Manager. These join Alan Watson - Business Development Director, Mark Dimeck – Aerospace Principal Consultant and Richard Sleeman – Principal Engineer, to create an experience aerospace team. Alan Barnes is a Chartered Engineer and a member of the Royal Aeronautical Society who brings to his new role as Director of Aerospace, over 35 years’ experience in Military Aviation working at BAE Systems - Combat Air, Eurofighter GmbH and most recently, at Thales ISR where he was Head of Regulatory Compliance; Design, Safety & Airworthiness Assurance; and the Head Independent System Monitoring. In addition, Alan and sits upon numerous Air focused Professional Bodies and Committees across both Military and Civil sectors. “I am looking forward to growing Delkia’s aerospace offer in terms of capability and capacity, to support our existing and new clients, as well as to develop our own range of products, parts and services.” says Alan.

Geoff Cooper, Delkia’s new Technical Manager for Aerospace, also joins the company from Thales ISR where he was the Technical Assurance Manager and IMaster CVE for the past 3 ½ years working on Watchkeeper and other ISR Products. He began his career as an Apprentice with BAE Systems, eventually managing Manufacturing and Maintenance for multiple Air Systems. He then moved into Engineering, working on Typhoon and UAS projects finally becoming an Engineering Data Manager and Configuration Management Expert. Geoff says: “I’m looking forward to being able to innovate and influence the way the aerospace industry is moving forward over the coming years.” Peter Hudson, Delkia’s new R&D Manager, has over 26 years’ experience with BAE Systems Warton, in roles as varied as Programme Engineering Manager and Technical Strategy Integration Manager in the Research Department, working on projects from NIMROD to FCAS. Peter says: “I’m here to provide a strong, coherent technology research portfolio that supports and unlocks our Aerospace ambitions as well as our work in Maritime and Clean Energy markets.”

How MSP saved BAE Systems £20 million

Mark Dimeck - Aerospace Defence Principal Consultant – has 43 years work experience with BAE Systems across the whole engineering life cycle, including Typhoon’s avionics and mission systems, and the Future Combat Aircraft System (FCAS) programme, looking at engineering and digital transformation.

When BAE Systems faced difficulty with its Eurofighter Typhoon project, it asked MSP to help automate its process for aligning the Eurofighter foreplane on the machine.

Richard Sleeman - Principal Engineer - spent 38 years in the Air Sector with BAE Systems, with the majority of his career in engineering integration, engineering management and early concept engineering/ systems architecting, ultimately becoming Assistant Chief Engineer on the Future Combat Air Systems programme. During that time, he worked in the development of a number of manned and unmanned aircraft. His technical experience covers aerodynamics, flight controls, flight systems and systems engineering. The team are looking forward to meeting customers old and new at DSEI, 12-15 September 2023, where Delkia will be exhibiting.

Originally, aligning the part was a multi-stage process. The part had to be located manually within the fixture and then, once machined, be turned over and relocated again to machine the other side. This process was repeated twice, using a different fixture each time. Due to the manual measurement and multiple stages involved, it took 7 days to produce one part; 20-30 hours of which was machining time, the rest – setup time. Furthermore, turning the part over caused a cusp or ‘ridge’ to form on the leading edge of the part. Subsequently, one in ten parts were sub-optimal, with the other nine requiring an element of rework; 22 hours in some cases.

Due to this, BAE Systems team were struggling to achieve their target of 770 parts within three years. MSP’s software from their MSP PerfectPart suite of products was introduced to automate the whole alignment process. The original fixtures could be replaced with a single vacuum fixture, removing the need for turning the part and using multiple fixtures. Using these vacuum fixtures and the software’s automation features, the process was reduced to four hours 38 minutes, made up of four hours machining time and 38 minutes setup time. No sub-optimal parts were produced

and no rework was necessary. In two years, 1,100 perfect parts were made, and due to the time saved, BAE Systems gained 50% extra machine capacity which could be used to make other parts – without any investment in extra machine tools required. Over £20million was saved in five years and the project was awarded a BAE Systems Bronze Chairman’s Award.

New appointees:

Find out more

Alan Barnes Director of Aerospace

Geoff Cooper Technical Manager for Aerospace

Peter Hudson R&D Manager

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Member News

Themis at Burnley College named UK Apprenticeship Award winner at prestigious ceremony Themis – the respected Apprenticeship training arm of Burnley College - has been recognised by top judges from the world of industry and academia for its exceptional work in supporting business and creating a highly-skilled, motivated workforce of tomorrow through its unrivalled apprenticeship training programmes.

Metalweb at the SIAE Paris Air Show 2023 Metalweb, a leading stockholder and processor of aluminum, stainless steel, titanium, steel and other hi-tech metals, will be exhibiting at the SIAE Paris Air Show from the 19th to the 25th June 2023. If you are attending the show and would like to meet with Metalweb, they will be available in the Reliance Steel and Aluminum chalet and on their stand in the general exhibition. If you wish to arrange to meet at the chalet, please contact Tom Cuddy, General Manager of Metalweb on +44 7720 368 494, who will make the appropriate arrangements, or feel free to visit the Reliance Steel and Aluminum stand, at any time during

knowledge back into the workplace under the guidance of expert Tutors and trainers.

“It’s something our learners are passionate about, too, and we’re seeing more and more employers coming to us to help them reach their sustainability targets – working towards net zero - or legislative requirements. “The Low Carbon Hub is designed specifically to make that transition towards net zero as efficient and effective as possible. We believe passionately in sharing best practice and ensuring that every business across the North West can benefit from sustainable technologies. “We’re honoured to have the work of Burnley College and our partners recognised by such a prestigious body.” As an employer, are you ready to tap into the expertise, innovation and passion of Themis to help boost your business – whatever the sector – through an Apprentice? Our Themis advisors will be with you every step of the way offering support – from highlighting the financial benefits to supporting the recruitment process. Contact the Themis team on 01282 733005 or email themis@burnley.ac.uk . To discover more about the Low Carbon Hub and to discover how Burnley College can support your business to get ahead of the competition in this developing domestic and commercial market – and navigate the latest legislation – email nwbt@burnley.ac.uk or call 01282 733273 .

It is the same commitment to work alongside industry that has seen success for Burnley College’s award-winning Low Carbon Hub. Employers from across the region have been flocking to the Hub to upskill their workforces in the latest green technologies to keep their businesses ahead of the curve, as well as discovering how they can save money – as well as the planet – by harnessing the power of industry-leading data and energy use analysis tools. Initially funded through the Government’s Strategic Development Fund, the Low Carbon Hub showcases the very latest technologies for solar and wind power, as well as training suites for electricians and plumbers in electric vehicle charging and heating solutions. Neil Burrows, Director of Skills and Innovation at Burnley College, says aiming for a low- carbon future is essential: “The green agenda is here to stay, rightly so, and we all have a duty to play our part in preserving our planet’s natural resources for future generation. “As a College, we’re committed to creating a sustainable future and are constantly making progress towards that goal by increasing the number of solar panels on our rooftops; harvesting rainwater; recycling; rewilding our campus and constructing eco-friendly buildings as we grow.

the show, where you will find a Metalweb member of staff.

Burnley College are Highly Commended in the Sustainable Green Initiative Award at the Educate North Awards 2023

The Educate North Awards “celebrate, recognise and share best practice and excellence in the education sector…” with judges singling out Themis’s winning entry with the following words: “Themis at Burnley College are flourishing due to their agile approach, adapting quickly in a wide range of areas from wellbeing to digitalisation, their focus is the region’s future workforce.”

Facing competition from other Colleges and training providers, Themis’s commitment to playing a key role in the region’s economic recovery and its mission to Build Futures and Change Lives for Apprentices, were recognised at the Educate North Awards 2023, staged at Manchester’s Midland Hotel. And there was double cause for celebration on the night as Burnley College also received a Highly Commended Award in the Sustainable Green Initiative category for the pioneering work being carried out with employers and learners alike in its new Low Carbon Hub. The Proud staff and learners at Burnley College are celebrating after Themis (the College’s successful apprenticeship training arm) was scooped the highly-competitive UK Apprenticeship Award and Highly Commended in the Sustainable Green Initiative Award for their pioneering Low Carbon Hub.

It truly shows that we mean business and are determined to play an active role in the region’s future economic success by providing the highly- skilled, ambitious and innovative employees that our employers need – today and in the years to come. “When our passion is recognised at such a high level it’s validation that we’re doing the right thing and it inspires us to work harder, work smarter and build bigger and better in the future.” Themis’s continuing success has been built on collaboration with employers to ensure their voice is heard – through regular engagement forums - when developing and planning training programmes to closely match the needs of. Burnley College also invests heavily in ensuring that learners have access to the very latest equipment and technologies – in industry-standard settings – which enable them to bring up-to-the-minute skills and

Discover the Future of Aerospace Materials with the Henry Royce Institute As the aerospace industry evolves, the need for advanced materials becomes increasingly crucial. Unifying the materials capabilities of 11 Partners, Royce research and development initiatives are advancing the field of aerospace materials. Expert researchers are dedicated to developing innovative solutions to complex aerospace challenges. From lightweight materials to high-temperature alloys, we’re at the forefront of material science. And, with a focus on sustainability, we’re committed to developing environmentally responsible materials that can drive us towards net zero. To collaborate with Royce, contact a member of our Research and Business Engagement team at info@royce.ac.uk royce.ac.uk @RoyceInstitute henryroyceinstitute Henry Royce Institute Visit our website to learn more about Royce research, and opportunities for collaborations and talent development.

Head of Apprenticeships at Themis at Burnley College Hannah Cutler says:

“For Themis to be recognised with this prestigious award is great news for Burnley College and for the successful employers with whom we work so closely across the North of England.

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Powering the sustainable aviation revolution: New report sets out the complex journey to net zero Atkins aerospace experts predict 44,000TWh of energy will be needed annually by 2070 to produce new, sustainable aviation fuel: equivalent to almost double the world’s current electricity demand.

A new report by sustainable aerospace experts at Atkins, a member of the SNC- Lavalin Group, warns achieving 2050 net zero targets in the sector will require major sustainable energy and fuel production infrastructure changes if commercial air transport grows as currently predicted. In the white paper - Alternative Fuels for Sustainable Aviation – Atkins emphasises that the journey to net zero extends far beyond aircraft emissions. Acknowledging that the most effective solution to decarbonising the aviation sector will be using a mix of alternative fuel options – SAF, eFuel, Hydrogen and batteries - the report warns that the industry also needs to be prepared for the significant infrastructure implications brought about by utilising this mix of alternative fuel. It also highlights the significant impact on future energy demand required to produce them. Based on estimated energy efficiencies and this forecasted fuel mix, Atkins’ predict 44,000 TWh of energy per year will be required by 2070 to generate the necessary global aircraft fuel demand. This represents a 5700% increase from current aviation energy generation requirements and is almost double the world’s current electricity demand. The report goes on to stress that the scale of change required will be substantial and far more complex than systems currently in operation. Alongside energy generation, other considerations will need to be factored into future plans, from fuel transportation and storage requirements to vehicle charging infrastructure. Andrew Caughey, Sustainable Aviation Lead – Aerospace, Atkins says: “Aviation emissions are hard to abate, but not impossible. The sector is making huge strides in its efforts to accelerate the development of new fuels and aircraft that will help deliver zero emission flight. These advances have a wider impact beyond the aerospace industry. Whilst the future mix of low carbon alternative fuel is yet to be determined, the production, storage

and transportation of fuels has implications for energy and airport infrastructure and their emissions need to be considered across the whole lifecycle, from ‘source to force’. “Regions, governments, airports and the wider industry must adopt a holistic approach to scenario modelling when creating masterplans for the infrastructure and ecosystems that will drive the future of sustainable aviation. By understanding the full fuel mix and energy demands for sustainable aviation, governments can use the insight to inform their policy makers and actions – whether that be introducing emissions KPIs, green fuel subsidies, demand management or investing in innovation and development. Integrated system-level planning is vitally important in achieving the transition and must take into account future energy predictions.” Atkins used analysis and modelling based on the sector’s current growth trajectory, future energy demands and energy generation efficiencies to explore the implications for aviation in achieving net zero. This included creating scenarios to explore the potential contribution of each alternative fuel, based on the energy demands of different aircraft classes. Atkins modelled a low and high energy generation scenario to forecast potential energy requirements - from a low scenario of 35,700TWh per year fuelled primarily by SAF and hydrogen to a high energy scenario of 54,400TWh per year, where synthetic eFuel is more dominant in narrow- and wide-body aircraft. This scenario modelling is based on global demand, but can be applied to any geographic region or specific airport to determine energy supply and infrastructure requirements. By adding in any changes to fuel mix or legislative demands, the model can forecast the generation energy requirement and identify the relative need for SAF, hydrogen, eFuels and batteries.

The Alternative Fuels for Sustainable Aviation report goes on to explore the viability and availability of low carbon fuel sources and how this will change over time. Key outtakes include: • Blended approach – no one technology is feasible alone. To use 100% eFuel would require energy generation of 63,000TWh per year, and while using battery power would require only 20,000TWh of energy

BAE Systems has received a prototype ECRS Mk2 (European Common Radar System Mk2) from Leonardo, marking the latest milestone in the ongoing development programme for the UK Typhoon fleet. BAE Systems has received a prototype European Common Radar System Mk2

generation per year, the limitations of battery technology would make this impossible over the time horizon considered.

• Availability of energy and volumes used – Volumes required will be largely influenced by the alternative fuel route being followed and the availability of said fuels, which remains uncertain. Producing the quantities required will be a substantial challenge. The only certainty is that demand for all types of fuel will be significant. (See Fig 2 in the notes to editors for a breakdown on the viability of each fuel type) • The impact of innovation - The combination of low carbon fuels used will change over time as technology develops. For instance, battery technology could see a breakthrough in power density, making it more viable for larger aircraft classes earlier. Moreover, the capacity to generate eFuel at higher volumes could reduce the need for SAF sourced from waste products. Breakthroughs in aircraft technology supporting hydrogen powered flight could lead to an accelerated roll-out of hydrogen into widebody aircraft.

The radar will now undergo integration work and ground-based testing in preparation for its first flight tests on-board the Eurofighter Typhoon next year. This will take place at BAE Systems’ flight testing facility in Lancashire, United Kingdom. The ECRS Mk2 features an innovative multi- functional array (MFA) that can perform both traditional radar functions such as search and targeting, as well as electronic warfare tasks. This means that Eurofighter Typhoon will be able to locate and deny use of an adversary’s radar with a powerful electronic jamming attack, whilst staying beyond the reach of threats. “This delivery marks the next major step towards securing Typhoon’s place in the future battlespace, ensuring that the UK retains the freedom to deliver air power wherever and whenever it is needed. The ECRS Mk2 will equip RAF pilots with the ability to locate, identify and suppress enemy air defences, a powerful combination of capabilities that will increase the Eurofighter Typhoon’s lethality and survivability, and the survivability of other friendly forces.” Mark Stead, SVP Radar & Advanced Targeting, Leonardo UK

Richard Hamilton, Typhoon Programme Director, Europe – BAE Systems Air, said:

With a view to potential future adoption of the ECRS Mk2, Leonardo in Italy is also contributing to the development, with engineers from Leonardo’s Nerviano, Milan- based radar site having joined the team in Edinburgh. As a step towards Italy’s full participation in the ECRS Mk2 programme, this collaboration will enable acquiring system design capabilities that will ensure that the Italian MOD has sovereign control over the new radar system at every stage of its operational life. In addition to their partnership to deliver the ECRS Mk2, Leonardo UK and BAE Systems are also core members of the UK’s team to deliver the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), a partnership between the UK, Italy and Japan which will bring a sixth-generation combat aircraft into service in 2035. The firms’ involvement in both programmes will create opportunities to develop technology and skills from the ECRS Mk2 into the GCAP platform’s suite of advanced electronics, and vice versa, de-risking and accelerating both programmes.

“The ECRS Mk2 radar is one of a number of key capabilities which we are integrating to secure Typhoon’s as the backbone of air defence across the globe for decades to come.” “Together with enhanced mission systems, advanced sensors, weapons and displays, we are delivering a sovereign capability which will keep RAF pilots safe and ensure the UK has the skills to continue to mature key technologies which support its future combat air ambitions.” The new radar is eagerly anticipated as it will further enhance the superb capabilities of Typhoon and keep it at the leading edge of combat air for years to come.” Group Captain Matthew D’Aubyn, Air Capability Typhoon Programme Director, UK Ministry of Defence The overall Typhoon programme supports more than 20,000 highly-skilled jobs across the UK. The work developing the ECRS Mk2 is securing 600 roles including more than 300 at Leonardo’s site in Edinburgh, 100 in Luton and 120 at BAE Systems in Lancashire. With the new radar and a wider package of enhancements for Typhoon being funded by the UK MOD, the combined programme is expected to sustain up to 1,300 jobs in the UK.

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Mark Verdon, Managing Director of Addison Precision said: “This award recognises the efforts and commitments of all the exceptionally talented engineers and people within our company. “The award helps not only raise our business profile and that of British engineering in the north but of the Hillhouse Business Park Enterprise Zone in Thornton-Cleveleys, where we are based. It is especially important right now as we continue to recruit and attract both new engineers and apprentices to the company. “We need a steady stream of talented engineers to satisfy our expanding company, so it’s important in the first instance that these people know who we are, what we can offer and where we are based.” The Addison group are on an upward trajectory with purposeful strategies in place to achieve growth whilst also delivering on their ambitious commitment to their net-zero targets. Marcus added, “Sustainability is very important to us here at Addison. Not only are we focused on reducing our carbon footprint on our journey towards Net Zero with initiatives including reducing energy waste, we are also increasing our own self supply of electricity with solar on every available roof-space and installing solar canopies and charging ports for our expanding fleet of electric vehicles. This helps us to make and deliver our products in the most sustainable way and to assist our Clients in their own sustainability goals.” Blackpool North and Cleveleys MP Paul Maynard, whose constituency includes the Hillhouse Business Park Enterprise Zone, congratulated Marcus and his team.

He said: “Well done to everyone across the Addison group. I know how much this win will mean to Marcus and all the team. “We have some fantastic businesses, particularly in the engineering and manufacturing sector, based at Hillhouse. “They have been helped to grow by the Government’s Enterprise Zone scheme, of which Hillhouse is a part. “It is fantastic to see companies like Addison Precision investing in skills and delivering opportunities for local people. “At the same time they are showing that business growth and a drive towards Net-Zero can be delivered hand-in-hand.” Businesses from the length and breadth of the county vied for titles across a range of categories, with only the best of the best, as selected by a panel of expert judges, progressing through to the shortlist and a rigorous interview stage before being rewarded for their excellence.

Headline sponsors for the event were Forbes Solicitors and Barclays. The official judging partner of the awards is Lancaster University and validation partner is RSM.

A full review and picture gallery will featured in the May/June edition of Lancashire

Business View and online at www.redroseawards.co.uk.

The awards are also sponsored Alcidion, AMRC North West, Azets, Bigtank, Burnley Football Club, Business Health Matters, Campbell & Rowley, Community & Business Partners, Community Foundation for Lancashire, Chorley Council, Cube Thinking, Daniel Thwaites, ELE Advanced Technologies, Equestrian Surfaces, Four Recruitment, Fox Group, Harrison Drury Solicitors, Marketing Lancashire, Mattioli Woods, Mytton Fold, Napthens, Nybble.co.uk, Partners&, PDS Engineering, Peter Scott Printers, Pierce, Pink Link, PM+M, Porsche Centre Bolton, Porsche Centre Preston, PSD Group, Pursuit Aerospace, Quest Electrical, RBC Brewin Dolphin, Sales Geek, Serconnect, Shout Connect, The Fun Experts, The Small Business Academy, United Utilities, University of Central Lancashire, U Start Project, Winter Gardens Blackpool. The charity partner for Red Rose Awards 2023 is Community Foundation for Lancashire and funds were raised at the awards event to support their work.

Event founder Richard Slater, also the publisher of Lancashire Business View

Addison Precision wins big at the Red Rose Awards Thornton-based Addison Precision won big at the Lancashire Business View Red Rose awards, scooping the prestigious Made in Lancashire title.

magazine, said: “The Red Rose Awards, now in its thirteenth year, are very hotly contested, so Addison should be very proud that they have seen off all the competition to win this award! As award winners, Addison Precision collected a trophy specially crafted by trophy partner Pendle Engineering.

For further information about the Addison group please visit our website

addisongroup.uk or email us at enquiries@addisonproject.co.uk

This event sees Lancashire business, commerce and industry come together and are celebrated. It provides the best possible platforms to promote success, and to encourage trading within the county. Since launching the awards in 2011 the Red Rose Awards have steadily grown and become the centrepiece attraction for the business community in the county with the sell- out ceremony taking place at the magnificent Winter Gardens Blackpool. The Awards play out in front of an audience of more than 1,000 business professionals and this year saw the awards celebrate its 13th year. Addison Precision, whose headquarters are located on the Hillhouse Business Park Enterprise Zone, was recognised for its contribution across a range of sectors, including aerospace, defence and infrastructure to medical implants.

Chief Executive Marcus Addison said: “It is with great pleasure and tremendous pride for Addison Precision to be recognised as the winner of the Made in Lancashire Award at the Red Rose finals ceremony this year. It is brilliant for an engineering manufacturer such as ourselves to achieve this positive recognition. “More than 100 companies reached the finals out of over 2,000 entrants to the competition and for Addison to be crowned as the overall winner of the ‘Made in Lancashire’ Award is just absolutely fantastic. “We do some tremendous things here at Addison for a diverse blue chip client base, right across the UK, and we are really pleased to have been recognised by the Red Rose judges.

“Our regular partners are many but include the manufacturing of aero-engine components for Rolls Royce, being a design and manufacturing partner for BAe Systems along with supporting the country’s gas network for National Grid. We also manufacture human implantable devices for the medical industry. “The judges commented that our passion and enthusiastic approach from our talented engineers really shone through, as did our commitment to excellence in customer service and sustainability and the credit truly goes across the whole workforce. They really deserve this.”

plane talk summer 2023

www.aerospace.co.uk

@NWAerospace

plane talk summer 2023

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