Midland Aerospace Ltd, part of the engineering precision business of Calder Group, supplies companies such as Airbus, Rolls-Royce, GE, Senior, and Meggitt with machined and fabricated engine, wing and chassis components and complex assemblies.
Last year Midland Aerospace joined the AGP’s Sharing in Growth (SiG) programme. The Nottingham based company, which employs around 120 people, aims to increase its sales from £9 million in 2015 to £16 million in 2020. To achieve its ambitions, Midland Aerospace has recently doubled its manufacturing floor space by investing in a new plant at their Castlewood Business Park base. Some products and services have the additional challenge of short lead times so the company maintains its own speed-shop.
Midland Aerospace Managing Director, Eamon Lyons, said:
“We have an ambitious development strategy and believe the Sharing in Growth programme will take us to a new level. We recognise that significantly higher performance and productivity will be required in the future to win sales in competition with global suppliers.”
Sharing in Growth CEO, Andy Page, said:
“We are delighted to see Midland Aerospace join the Sharing in Growth programme. They have undergone a robust business diagnostic to determine that they have the capability and have the backing of their major customers to achieve their growth plans.”
To achieve its targets, Midland Aerospace is working with SiG to review its strategy, introduce people management and motivational skills, and improve communications, financial and operations management.
SiG enables UK aerospace suppliers to become world class by assisting companies to make strategic improvements to their operations. Research shows that UK suppliers only bid on 50 percent of contracts often due to a lack of the necessary technology or capability to compete globally. By improving a supply chain company’s operations, such as introducing lean principles, leading to an increase in productivity; companies are better placed to compete with global competitors and win.
The company has invested in additional staff and commissioned new 5-axis machine tools to accommodate the forecasted increase in production.
By investing in technology and people, factors which have been identified to enable growth, Midland Aerospace are improving their capabilities in manufacturing as well as productivity through skilled employees.
Midland Aerospace has recently secured two major Long Term Agreements (LTA) with Airbus and Safran.
Eamon Lyons said:
“The Airbus contract will continue Midland Aerospace’s expansion into medium volume production and aftermarket supply contracts, building upon our core AOG and new product development (NPI) activities. Our parent company Calder Group has ambitious growth plans for both Midland and our sister company, Helander, in this sector, supported by a five year continuous improvement and technology investment plan.”
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