FIA 2012: More ministers meet members of ADS at Farnborough
Graham Chisnall, deputy CEO and MD Aerospace ADS, lead Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint, Minister of State for Trade and Investment, on a walkabout of the UK pavilion during Lord Green's first ever visit to FIA.
Lord Green met Nick Theakston, chairman of Beagle Aerospace, and found out more about the products offered.
L-R: Graham Chisnall,
Nick Theakston, Lord Green
"We've just had the best engagement with UK government at FIA ever, and Lord Green is another VIP from the government that has taken the time to come to the show," said Chisnall. "We feel extremely pleased and grateful for the amound of effort that the Government is putting in to supporting the show."
Andrew Robathan, minister for defence personnel, welfare and veterans, also showed his support for British industry, visiting the UK pavilion where he was greeted by Rees Ward, CEO of ADS, before meeting 11 ADS member SMEs on a walkabout hosted by Gordon Lane, ADS MD defence and director land.
Rees Ward, ADS CEO, greets Andrew Robathan , minister for defence personnel, welfare and veterans
Andrew Robathan, minister for defence personnel, welfare and veterans, meets John Paige, ATC radar sales manager, TMD Technologies.
The minister visited the TMD Technologies stand, where he met John Paige, ATC radar sales manager. Paige said: "For TMD Technologies it allows us to get across to the minister some of the problems that we have working with industry in the UK, and indeed some of the challenges that we have in dealing with our overseas competitors and customers, in the export side of the things, as well as local business here. To actually have interest from our MPs is always very, very welcome. We do struggle as a small-medium enterprise from time-to-time competing in a market that's not always necessarily level, so having an interest from our own ministers can only be good for our future."
Andrew Robathan meets Dave Holroyd, MD, IFS Defence
The minister also visited the stand of Aeromet, a company that produces investment castings and sand castings for the aerospace industry. Alan Dustan, business development director at Aeromet said: "For us it's more about seeing senior government level support for the aerospace indistry, commencing with David Cameron on Monday. I have seen a number of MPs and ministers during the course of this week and I think it's fantastic that we're seeing such a high level of support. I think this has been missing in previous years without a doubt so I think it is a refreshing change. I'm hoping that it's sending a very positive message up to government about how important aerospace is to UK plc, and especially manufacturing and all the jobs that go with it."
For Keith Bennett, sales and marketing at Flexible Technology, based in the Isle of Bute, Scotland, a visit from the minister provided a unique opportunity to showcase the manufacturing capabilities of the company, which produces flexible and flexi-rigid circuitry. "For people like that to take an interest in what we do is brilliant," he said. "The more you can advertise and make people aware, particularly in the MoD, the better it is for us."
"It's important for the ministers to come and understand what the industry is actually trying to do, both from a business perspective but also from a technology perspective," said Kenneth Govan, business and programme manager at Missiles & Space Batteries, provider of thermal batteries. "The point I was trying to make to the minister was that we are doing OK, but we need to look forward to the future."
The minister also visited STS Defence, Beagle Aerospace, Tritech, Ottaway Engineering, Faun Trackway and Smiths Advanced Metals.
Gordon Lane and Andrew Robathan speak to Paul Kennard, service centre manager of Smiths Advanced Metals
