Pictured above: (l-r) Nigel Hicklin (Managing Director, Dontaur), Mike Harrison (Senior Consultant, Sigma), Caolan Small (Supply Chain Manager, Bombardier Aerospace, Belfast) and Cliff Johnson (SC21 Project Manager, MAS-WM)

West Midlands-based aerospace suppliers have received a boost after one of the sectors world-leaders teamed up with the Manufacturing Advisory Service-West Midlands (MAS-WM) and Sigma Management Consultants to launch a new regional cluster.

Bombardier Aerospace, Belfast, part of the world's third largest civil aircraft manufacturer, has reinforced its commitment to helping develop world class supply chains in the region by supporting the launch of a 21st Century Supply Chain (SC21) cluster.  

The aim of the SC21 programme is to improve the UK aerospace industry's capabilities and make it more competitive. Bombardier believes SC21 offers an excellent opportunity to manage its complex supply chain and provide high levels of competence in supply planning, inventory forecasting and modelling

More than 20 suppliers from the region heard keynote presentations from the company and MAS-WM, with the latter announcing funding support for firms keen to make the commitment.

Bombardier's Supply Chain Manager Caolan Small said: "We were one of the original signatories at the Farnborough Airshow in 2006. Now we are looking to promote the benefits of the SC21 programme in the Midlands. 

"Through engagement with SC21, we have been able to improve relationships with our supplier base and identify opportunities to further improve those partnerships. Those suppliers who have been genuinely active on the programme have demonstrably improved their on-time delivery performance."

He added: "We're actively seeking to work closely with suppliers who are on the SC21 journey, helping them to help them themselves and become more competitive.

"It is anticipated that the benefits will help generate significant performance and cost improvements throughout the supply chain in the process."

MAS-WM's Cliff Johnson continued: "This event is critical for companies in the supply chain, who want to discover how they can deploy world class performance processes. By forming this cluster, we support and nurture them as a group and they can put themselves in a position to win future business in an incredibly competitive marketplace."

West Midlands companies involved in the cluster can access individual grants of up to £20,000 to help them deploy the SC21 programme, which is funded by Advantage West Midlands and the European Regional Development Fund and delivered by MAS-WM who work closely on the programme with the Midlands Aerospace Alliance (MAA).

Once a commitment has been made to participate, MAS-WM will arrange for a series of business diagnostics to be carried out, which will help the company identify where it is now and what it needs to do to work towards globally competitive performance via implementation of the SC21 programme. 

A sector specialist will then work hand-in-hand with them on improving performance and quality, as well as facilitating relationship workshops with stakeholder customers.

This was demonstrated at the meeting by Nigel Hicklin the Managing Director at Dontaur, who presented a case study on the benefits of SC21.

Cliff concluded: "When a manufacturer the size of Bombardier recognises its importance that's all the encouragement you should need. Judging by the way the industry is embracing it, SC21 looks set to become a significant differentiator when competing for new contracts.

"We have funding available for companies to tap into and gain specialist assistance as they work towards global competitiveness via this World Class Supply Chains for the 21st Century programme."