Industry Forum

Category: Events

The 2025 Midlands Aerospace Alliance annual conference held at RAF Cosford was a fantastic opportunity to hear the insights of the diverse Aerospace manufacturing supply chain from OEMs to lower Tiers and even tool manufacturers. It provided key insights into the industry’s current challenges and opportunities.

This article will discuss the main takeaways from the event, focusing on supply chain resilience, zero-defect manufacturing, and strategies for scaling production in a volatile global landscape.

The aerospace industry is undergoing a critical phase of ramp-up, with demand for commercial and defence aircraft surging. Airbus and Boeing’s backlog by the end of 2024 was 14,253 (ADS, 2024). One of the sectors biggest challenges is trying to navigate the current geopolitical landscape, rising demand and therefore the increased emphasis on the need for risk resilience in the supply chain.

Supply Chain Risk Resilience: A Pressing Concern

Aerospace supply chains are complex and globally interconnected, making them vulnerable to disruptions. The industry is still grappling with the lingering effects of pandemic-induced shortages, geopolitical tensions such as the introduction of US tariffs, and logistical constraints. Lead times for certain essential dependant components remain extended, acting as a bottleneck to the product development process. Additionally, the limited availability of raw materials has placed further strain on production schedules.
Manufacturers are increasingly adopting risk-mitigation strategies such as reshoring, dual-sourcing, and digital supply chain monitoring to enhance resilience. The integration of AI-driven predictive analytics is also helping firms anticipate disruptions and adjust procurement strategies in real time. Yet, despite these advancements, the industry continues to experience delays, impacting aircraft delivery schedules and customer commitments.
Airbus spoke at the conference on the need for Industrial Maturity. They proposed that in order to have a resilient supply chain there must be zero tolerance on non-quality and safety, innovation and an ongoing drive to remove waste in manufacturing in order to be competitive.
An Aerospace Supply Chain Resilience Report (Roland Berger, 2024) was presented which highlighted key challenges in ramping up production. Many companies face difficulties in scaling, due to the discussed reasons. Supply chain disruptions have worsened, with Tier-1 suppliers hit hardest. To address this, firms are restructuring supply chains, focusing on regionalisation and improved resilience. Recommendations from the report include tackling bottlenecks, enhancing long-term stability, and fostering collaboration to ensure consistent, high-quality production.

The Importance of Zero-Defect Tools for Ramp-Up

As production rates accelerate, ensuring product integrity is paramount. Aerospace components must meet stringent quality and safety standards (such as AS13100, if within the Aero-Engine supply chain), with defects posing severe risks to both operational performance, in-flight safety and regulatory compliance. To mitigate these risks, manufacturers are leveraging zero-defe ct frameworks, such as Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP).
Adopting the Zero Defect tool kit will enable manufacturers to produce high-precision components with minimal waste, reducing the likelihood of defects that could cause costly rework or aircraft grounding. But it will also help with ramp-up.
APQP streamlines aerospace ramp-up by ensuring quality and consistency. It identifies risks early, standardises processes, and aligns suppliers. The Reference Manual RM13145 which is aligned to AS13100 discusses supply chain risk management and how risk factors relating to organisations and products can be mitigated (AESQ, 2024). Ultimately, the framework, when adopted effectively enhances supply chain resilience, reduces defects, and accelerates production scaling.

Striking the Balance Between Speed and Accuracy

While ramping up production is necessary to meet growing demand, the aerospace sector must strike a delicate balance between speed and precision. Supply chain fragility and quality concerns must be addressed through proactive risk management, investment in advanced manufacturing tools, and closer collaboration across the supply network.
By prioritising resilience and Zero Defect methodologies, aerospace manufacturers can navigate the challenges of supply chain uncertainty while ensuring that every aircraft component meets the highest standards of reliability and performance.

SMMT Industry Forum supports aerospace manufacturers and has training endorsed by AESQ member companies that provide expert support in these key areas where skill gaps exist: APQP, PPAP, Lean Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management.

If you would like to discuss how we could support helping with enhancing your organisations quality, reducing defects, and efficiently scaling production to meet rising demand, then please feel free to get in touch:

Joseph Dodd MSc CMgr MCMI Aerospace Quality Management Consultant

Email: [email protected] https://calendly.com/joseph-dodd-industryforum

tel: +44 (0)121 717 6600 | mob: +44 (0)7809522182 | web: www.industryforum.co.uk

Industry Forum were privileged to have the opportunity of attending a recent event at Rolls-Royce Derby arranged by the Midlands Aerospace Alliance. The event was well organised and there was no doubting the efforts taken by the Midlands Aerospace Alliance to make this event a success, with members of the Rolls-Royce senior management team being very generous with their time and approachability.

It was a pleasure to rub shoulders with likeminded individuals who share a passion for the growth and success of the Aerospace sector in the Midlands.

Attendees were given insights into strategic initiatives being taken at Rolls-Royce and treated to a plant tour.

It was interesting to hear from Craig Askew – Manufacturing Operations. Craig shared his pride and passion for the Rolls-Royce production system.

It was also interesting to hear from James Partington – Procurement.

James shared the key procurement priorities for Rolls-Royce

Having had the opportunity digest the activities and events of the day it is evident that there are several common themes running through Rolls-Royce with an expectation that the Rolls-Royce supply chain will follow suite.

One of these themes is the drive towards Zero defects.

Adopting a zero defects mentality and approach is essential for the long-term survival of the civil aerospace sector.

The Zero defects approach is a mindset that is underpinned by tools and techniques employed throughout the Design and Manufacture of Aerospace product.

In its simplest form it can be described by the diagram below:

When considering creating a structured process to support Zero Defects then Aerospace Standard AS9145 defines Aerospace requirements for Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) and Production Part Approval (PPAP). This standard provides a more comprehensive approach for planning for product quality with the benefit that it embeds the key elements of the Zero defects approach.

The message from Rolls-Royce seems to be clear. They are enjoying the benefits of Zero defects gained by implementing Advanced Product Quality Planning and they are promoting its use by the supply chain. APQP benefits the supply chain, it benefits Rolls-Royce, and it benefits the customers of Rolls-Royce.

Industry Forum can support your organisations drive towards Zero defects with training courses covering Design/Process FMEA & Control Plan, MSA, Process Control and Problem Solving. We also offer training and consultancy for AS9145.

This article was written by our Senior Aerospace Consultant Richard Hammond, to get in touch with Richard, please email [email protected]

 

SMMT Industry Forum was delighted to attend the 106th SMMT Annual Dinner this week as one of the most prestigious events in the automotive calendar.

Addressing industry leaders and politicians Alison Jones, SMMT President and Senior Vice President Global Circular Economy, Stellantis, praised the industry’s resilience and commitment to green growth, saying,

As an industry, we have moved forward despite the instability, despite legislative uncertainty, inflation and geopolitical risk. The industry has backed itself with big decisions on big investments to guarantee jobs and our future. We have seen major commitments in battery production, lithium mining, vehicle manufacturing, R&D and the aftermarket. Such investment – and our ability to remain competitive – is key to the continuation of a strong UK manufacturing base and a sector that sustains nearly a million livelihoods.

Nusrat Ghani MP, Minister of State for Industry and Economic Security spoke to welcome the recent investments in UK Automotive in 2023

We started this year with quite a few challenges and obstacles ahead of us. But with a joint effort we are finishing on a high point as one of the most successful years in our recent history

The special guest speaker was The Rt Hon Rory Stewart OBE talking about his time in government and the outlook for the political landscape in 2024 and beyond.

Some of Britain’s biggest automotive companies pledged that women will represent 30% of their workforce within the next six years, in a bid to drive gender diversity across all roles and levels. The commitment by the Automotive Council, whose members represent 99% of British vehicle manufacturing and half of the UK’s automotive workforce, is a significant short-term challenge given that just under 20% of the sector’s workforce is today female. The Council also launched a new best practice guide, Shifting Gears: How to better recruit and retain women in the UK automotive sector, to provide forward-thinking businesses across the industry – from car and commercial vehicle manufacturing to supply chain and the aftermarket – with the tools needed to improve gender diversity across all levels.

It was a fantastic event providing much-needed industry insights and an opportunity to meet representatives across the automotive industry.

Toyota and SMMT Industry Forum to co-host one-day workshop, free-of-charge for senior executives, to examine ways of improving UK manufacturing productivity

Manufacturing businesses in sectors such as aerospace, nuclear and medical devices are invited to attend a workshop that will give a rare insight into methods proven by the automotive industry to improve productivity.

The one-day event, at the Toyota Engine Plant, Deeside (see maps) on 11th May 2018, is to be co-hosted by the Toyota Lean Management Centre, widely acknowledged as a world leader in manufacturing productivity, and the SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders) Industry Forum, which provides consultancy and training to help transform manufacturing competitiveness in many diverse industries. Experts from both organisations will share lessons learned in automotive manufacturing that are transferable to diverse industries.  

The Industry Forum’s chief executive, Dr. Chris Owen, said: “At a time when we keep hearing how British productivity is lagging behind international competitors, the automotive sector is reaching out to other UK manufacturing sectors to show that productivity doesn’t have to be a puzzle. We are inviting chief executives and managing directors from other manufacturing businesses to gain a deeper understanding of how to deliver productivity improvements by examining their own beliefs and looking at methods underpinning Toyota’s world-class operational performance.”

The workshop will encourage senior executives to examine and challenge their own beliefs about productivity; consider conditions necessary for success; gain a deeper understanding of the concepts of Challenge, Kaizen, Genchi-Butsu, team-work, and respect; and examine the application of knowledge to different productivity scenarios.

Workshop attendance is free but Toyota and Industry Forum suggest that participating companies make a donation to the Toyota Charitable Trust upon receipt of an invitation.