Aerospace Wales is the industry association for Wales (click on the logo for news items). Established in 2001, we have 200 members. In April 2013 the company became part of the Industry Wales group along with the Welsh Automotive Forum and Technology Connected and supported by Welsh Government. The aerospace, space and defence industries in Wales employ over 20000 people and include major players such as Airbus, BAE Systems, British Airways, GE, GD, DECA, Raytheon, Airbus Defence & Space, Nordam, Qinetiq, Magellan, Triumph Group, Qioptiq, Safran Seats, Teledyne Labtech, IQE, Ascent (Lockheed Martin & Babcock JV), Thales (Watchkeeper programme & NDEC), Northrop Grumman (Sealand Support Services) and a diverse supply chain of smaller and medium sized companies. Facilities include the Airbus wing plant at Broughton, a range and testing centre for UAVs at Parc Aberporth and Llanbedr and key sub sectors such as MRO and interiors. Llanbedr is also being promoted as Spaceport Snowdonia. Specialist technology clusters include optoelectronics, compound semiconductors and cyber security. The Forum works closely with Welsh Government on development of sector strategy, including the publication of a Wales Space Strategy in 2015, and inward investment campaigns.Aerospace Wales has close links with ADS, the UK's association for aerospace, defence and security, other regional associations, the European Aerospace Cluster Partnership and Aéro Montréal. Linkages to the electronics, software, automotive, rail, energy and nuclear sectors are provided through Industry Wales.Project work includes space sector cluster development, funded by the UK Space Agency and development of a collaborative consortium for MRO products and services. We have a joint working group with Welsh Government addressing the opportunities offered by future flight technology. Currently participating in the UK Future Flight challenge advisory boards for the “SafeZone” and “ATOMICUS” projects.

Aerospace Wales, funded by the UK Space Agency through Welsh Government completed a space cluster development project in March 2021. This included the formation of a Space Wales Leadership Group (co-chaired with Helen Swift, Airbus) and a Space Wales network. This brings together stakeholders from industry and academia who can coordinate, drive and champion space sector activity in Wales. Companies represented on the leadership group include Airbus Defence & Space, Raytheon UK, Space Forge, SmallSpark Space Systems, Snowdonia Aerospace Centre, Black Arrow Space Technologies, Enbarr Foundation, Artemis Space, Environment Systems, Geosmart Decisions, Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult, Arcanum Cyber Security, Glyndŵr University OpTIC Centre, Agile Business Solutions, Spaceflight Academy, Ddiwydiannol, AMRC Cymru and Wall Colmonoy. Other members of the cluster include Qioptiq Space, Electroimpact, IQE, B2Space, Teledyne Labtech, Newton Launch Systems, Charcroft Electronics, Spectrum Technologies, AVoptics and Haydale. WASP, the Wales Academic Space Partnership also forms part of the Space Wales network. WASP includes the following universities - Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff, Wrexham Glyndŵr, Swansea and USW.For Space Wales news items click on the Space Wales logo above.

Range of clients and projects. Support to civil engineering companies and business/education partnerships in the use of the EFQM excellence model, process re-engineering and business improvement. Member of the team supporting Dr Andrew Mair's "South East Marine Sector: Business Issues, Prospects for Clustering" research report, mapping and analysing the marine and maritime industries in South East England. Report on regional aerospace associations for the European Aerospace Industries Association (AECMA, subsequently ASD). Mentor/evaluator for assessors and senior assessors for the European Quality Award on behalf of EFQM.Member of Manchester Business School team carrying out a review of the economic impact of BAE Systems in North West England.Study report on aerospace design for logistics for Lancashire County Council/Hyndburn Council/East Lancs Partnership.European collaborative research programme - SCAN RTD, Enterprise plc. Lead assessor for North West Aerospace Alliance ASCE benchmarking.Due diligence evaluation of customer relationships of Aerogistics/King & Fowler for Merseyside Special Investment Fund.Advisory board member European FP7 ADVENTURE virtual factory and collaborative supply chain project, led by Darmstadt University.Senior Advisor to Fraser International on Aerospace & Advanced Manufacturing. Promotion and matchmaking for inward mission to Wales/UK from Prince Edward Island, Canada. Keynote speaker and panelist at conference event for a British-Slovenian Chamber inward trade mission.Design and delivery of Brexit preparatory workshops as part of the UK Government Brexit readiness programme.

Consultancy in the rail sector with a focus on collaborative working. Supported DfT in development of collaborative frameworks for the proposed Great British Railways. See also TEAL Consulting below.

Advance blends business and behavioural knowledge to generate improvement and sustained change. Areas of specialisation include partnering and alliancing (BS11000/ISO44001) and collaborative dispute resolution. Advance is currently working in partnership with De-Risk to deliver stress testing and ABCD complex programme risk management. Projects undertaken include:Development of programmes to support collaborative working in the aerospace, rail and infrastructure sectors. Senior Practitioner for the Highways Agency Capability Assessment Toolkit (CAT). Used for civil engineering supplier assessment, development and selection. Member of the MoD MARS (Maritime Afloat Reach and Sustainability) Independent Assessment Team using the Alliancing Capability Toolset (ACT) as part of the selection process for the project integration/alliancing role for the replacement, maintenance and operation of Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships. Coaching on collaborative behaviours for aerospace bid team (Vector MFTS consortium - KBR, EG&G, Lear Siegler). Research into the management and organisation of global engineering workshare and recommendations for the introduction of best practice for Amec. Customer attitude research for Balfour Beatty, in partnership with Goldsmith Consulting, covering the relationship of BB with the Highways Agency. Team Leader for Northwest Aerospace Alliance Extended Enterprise collaborative bidding project. Collaborative behaviour assessments of potential suppliers for Network Rail (Great Western, LNW, East Midlands) as part of NR's partnering/collaborative working framework built around BS11000/ISO44001. Support to bid team for Doha Green Line Metro project. Support to a collaborative behavioural assessment simulation workshop for a major HS2 contractor.

TEAL helped organisations change the way they think and work. Key areas of focus included collaboration, operational excellence, systems thinking, strategy & organisational development and transformational change & leadership. Projects undertaken include:Development of programmes to support collaborative working. Delivery of workshops on Collaborative Working & BS11000/ISO44001 for the British Quality Foundation, North of England Excellence, UK Train Operating Companies, Network Rail (LNE/EM) and SMRT (Singapore). Supporting train and bus operating companies in franchise/concession bid preparation for the UK, Middle East and Singapore, innovation, knowledge management and the use of the EFQM model. Working in partnership with organisations including First Class Partnerships (FCP) and SNC-Lavalin Transport Advisory.In June 2020, the co-founder of Teal Consulting, Eirian Lewis, took the decision to close the business in the light of the economic downturn triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. A successor company, Expidere Ltd was subsequently formed.

Valuechain, a dynamic and innovative software company, providing cloud based business enterprise, supply chain mapping and collaboration applications for aerospace, automotive and other advanced manufacturing businesses. These were designed to drive improved performance and facilitate the integration of supply chains in the era of Industry 4.0. Clients and project partners included BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, GKN, Bentley Motors, Cosworth, Force India, Toyota, Bombardier Aerospace, Honeywell Aerospace, Gardner Aerospace, Ultra Electronics, Hyde Group, Metronet Rail and the UK Ministry of Defence.The group acquired Tricorn Systems in Farnham, Surrey, Retriever Technology, the calibration software developer, and the Xactio supply chain portal software system. The Tricorn Production Control System was installed in over 230 engineering and treatments companies. Retriever Technology provided specialised calibration software for over 30 years to hundreds of advanced manufacturing companies. Xactio, acquired from Valuechain’s partner company Canda Systems, was deployed in the aero, auto, electronics, nuclear and rail sectors. These acquisitions were designed to underpin the development of the DNA4.0® platform into an integrated solution for manufacturing businesses to prepare for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.The award to Valuechain of Horizon 2020 funding from the European Union supported the implementation of the DISCO project (Data Integrated Supply Chain Optimisation). This supported the integration of European SMEs enabling them to access innovative productivity and collaboration applications to improve individual and supply chain competitiveness. Valuechain also provided supply chain intelligence and collaboration solutions to European aerospace organisations to streamline the delivery of regional, national and global supply chain development programmes. In India the company operated as AeroDNA.

Director & co-founder. Leadership development as part of Cumbria Leads programme. Development and delivery of Aerospace Supply Chain Excellence programme (ASCE) benchmarking assessment tool in partnership with North West Aerospace Alliance and North of England Excellence. ASCE was delivered with the support and collaboration of Airbus, Rolls Royce and BAE Systems. Strategic partner of North of England Excellence in Cumbria working in partnership with other organisations including BAE Systems Submarines, Barrow and the Cumbria Chamber.

Responsible for setting up Aerospace Wales Forum, as a representative body for the sector in Wales, under contract from the Welsh Development Agency. The Forum was formally launched at a celebratory dinner at RAF St Athan in March 2002 with guest of honour, Rhodri Morgan, First Minister of the Welsh Assembly Government. The Forum brought together the existing South Wales Aerospace Group and a newly created group in North Wales. Initial members included British Airways, GE, Nordam, DARA and Airbus and a whole host of small and medium sized businesses. The Forum was incorporated as a company limited by guarantee in February 2003.

Seconded from BAE Systems. Representative body for the aerospace sector in North West England and had just been established as the successor to the Consortium of Lancashire Aerospace. 200+ member companies. Worked closely with the then newly formed Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) on the development of regional aerospace strategy. Also served on the boards of Pendle Partnership, Excellence North West (which became North of England Excellence), the Consortium of Lancashire Aerospace Ltd and the European Centre for Aerospace Training (Chair, August 2000-August 2001). Subsequently also undertook consultancy work for NWAA from 2006-2012 on the Aerospace Supply Chain Excellence Programme (ASCE) and the Extended Enterprise project.

From undergraduate apprentice to divisional director with Hawker Siddeley Aviation, British Aerospace and BAE Systems. Broad range of experience in design, technology, systems & software engineering, project management, human resources, quality, manufacturing, business improvement and culture change (Benchmark BAe/"Vertical Take-off"). Commercial and military aircraft programmes including Avro 748, HS146, BAe 864 ATP, Buccaneer, VC10, Hawk, Harrier, Sea Harrier, Jetstream systems demonstrator, and HS801 Nimrod (Mk 1,2 & 3) plus future projects BAe P110, BAe 849, Next Generation Maritime Reconnaissance and BAe 841, Future International Military Airlifter (FIMA, which evolved to become the A400M). Also involved in international collaborative programmes including Airbus, Panavia Tornado, Eurofighter Typhoon, Saab-BAe Gripen, Hindustan Aeronautics-BAe Jaguar and the T45 Goshawk and AV8B Harrier II programmes with McDonnell Douglas/Boeing. Participation in a wide range of national and international working groups and representative bodies. Member of the Cabinet Office ACARD working group that produced the report "Software: A vital key to UK competitiveness". Leadership of company proposals for the UK Alvey Programme - 5th generation computing/artificial intelligence. Creation of a real-time airborne software capability within BAe Aircraft Group. Leadership of the BAe Group internal business excellence/EFQM assessment process and support to the development of the BAe Preferred Supplier Process which became the basis of SC21.