Aerospace clusters at MAA

Midlands Aerospace Alliance members opened new links to Europe at the first TransNetAero event for European aerospace suppliers, hosted by the MAA at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC).

Thirty participants from regions in Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland -- and the Midlands -- networked for an evening, then spent a day with Rolls-Royce, Aero Engine Controls, the MTC and the University of Nottingham's Institute for Aerospace Technology.

Midlands and European aerospace suppliers were able to:

• learn the latest supplier requirements from major aerospace customers
• participate in a European networking event to promote their company
• learn how research centres can help them adopt new product and process technologies
• find out how to access cutting edge training in new technologies for their employees through a new programme to enhance the skills of small aerospace companies
• meet and network with companies like theirs from across Europe

MTC virtual reality suite		Networking		Discussion

The event, held in the heart of the UK’s Midlands aerospace cluster, was made up of four workshops each comprised of presentations, questions and answer sessions, and one-to-one meetings for participating suppliers -- all designed to help them build links with two global customers and two leading aerospace technology development centres:

• Rolls-Royce

  the Midlands is at the heart of Rolls-Royce large civil aircraft engine engineering and manufacture -- senior engineering managers responsible for developing technology in the company's supply chain held one-to-one meetings with the participants  

• Aero Engine Controls

  engineering and manufacture of electronic engine controls, fuel pumps and monitors -- senior engineering and procurement managers explained the future technologies Aero Engine Controls is looking for and listened to what participating suppliers had to offer

• The Manufacturing Technology Centre

  UK centre for new manufacturing technologies: high-integrity joining, net shape manufacture, intelligent automation, tooling and fixturing -- a factory floor visit showed participants some of the new technologies the MTC is developing for companies like Aero Engine Controls, Airbus, GKN Aerospace and Rolls-Royce

• University of Nottingham Institute for Aerospace Technology

  coordinates all the aerospace technology work at this leading aerospace university: aerospace manufacturing, aircraft polymers and composites, aero engines including transmissions and thermofluids, aerospace operations including geospatial, power electronics for more-electric aircraft -- the workshop learned from the Institute's Director the work the university does and how to collaborate on new technology projects 

In addition, there was plenty of networking time to make new connections to TransNetAero participants from regional aerospace clusters in Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland and the UK.

Pictured: Malcolm Harbour, West Midlands MEP, meets TransNetAero organisers at the MAA office the day after the event.

What is TransNetAero?

TransNetAero (Transnational Network for Aerospace) is a network of organisations in six European aerospace regions and small countries which are going to work together and share their resources so that aerospace industry suppliers in each of them can get expert support and knowledge from the others to help them be better prepared to succeed against global scale competition. The participants are Wallonia (Belgium), Normandy (France), Baden-Württemberg (Germany), the Netherlands, Switzerland and the Midlands (United Kingdom). Future events will be held in the other regions during 2013-15, -- focusing on different major customers and technology centres. For more about the TransNetAero project, click here.