DSEI 2019 will for the first time host a Manufacturing Hub to highlight the vital contribution that tier 2, tier 3 and tier 4 manufacturers make to the UK defence industry.
With an area dedicated to manufacturing excellence, DSEI 2019 will provide an opportunity for suppliers to penetrate the defence sector and strengthen their relationships within industry, including with the prime contractors that rely on their skills and technology to deliver complex equipment programmes. The Hub will be sponsored by the Manufacturing Technology Centre, a UK organisation established to bridge the gap between university-based research and the development of innovative manufacturing solutions, in line with the Government’s manufacturing strategy. The MTC is part the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, supported by Innovate UK.
Andy Barnes, Associate Director for Defence and Security at the Manufacturing Technology Centre, said: “We are delighted to sponsor the Manufacturing Hub at DSEI 2019 and look forward to showcasing how we can help the defence sector and its supply chain modernise processes, generate efficiencies and improve productivity through new technology.”
The manufacturing industry is a key part of the UK and world economy. UK manufacturing currently employs 2.6 million people, accounts for 44% of total exports and represents 70% of business research and development[1]. Some of the most innovative technologies can be found within this space, and the hub will include manufacturing leaders in areas including:
· CAD/CAM Software
· Electronic Components
· Additive Manufacturing
· Turning
· Milling and Machining
· Connectors and Cables
· High Precision Press
The Manufacturing Hub will provide a dedicated space for UK manufacturers to exhibit and showcase their capabilities and meet with potential new clients and market players from among the more than 35,000 visitors and 4,000+ system engineers/designers expected to take part in the event. Exhibitors will also be able to benefit from focussed networking events with subcontractors, buyers, system integrators, and designers from tier 1, tier 2, and OEMs.
Among the exhibitors already confirmed to feature in the Hub is UK precision components manufacturer, Xwame Group. Damon Moran, European Relations Manager, said: “The Xwame Group Ltd. Is looking forward to introducing its leading services to the defence and security industry at DSEI. The Manufacturing Hub provides us with a great opportunity to showcase our extensive CNC-fabrication capabilities.”
Grant Burgham, DSEI Event Director, said:
“We are really proud to be launching the Manufacturing Hub for DSEI 2019. We strongly believe the Manufacturing Hub will be the perfect platform to create opportunities and connections between different sectors of the manufacturing world and the defence industry. As we celebrate DSEI’s 20th Anniversary, this new feature is testimony that the event is dedicated to the whole of the defence industry and to creating new opportunities for all tiers of the supply chain.”