Boeing hosts thirty seven UK companies at their Seattle base
Boeing has hosted a visit at their Seattle base for 37 companies from their UK supply chain along with representatives from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
The visit builds on orders for Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and AH-64E Apachehelicopters from the Ministry of Defence. It forms one aspect of delivering on the joint announcement between the government and Boeing made in July at the Farnborough International Airshow, which aims to enhance further UK prosperity by:
- Boeing doubling its UK employment in the years ahead
- Increasing overall bid opportunities from Boeing to UK suppliers
- Enhancing UK suppliers’ competitiveness through advice from Boeing with the government’s support and participation
- Boeing making the UK its European base for training, maintenance, repair and overhaul across defence fixed-wing and rotary platforms
- Boeing continuing to grow its commercial aviation services business in the UK
- Making the UK Boeing’s defence exports base for Europe and the Middle East
- Increasing Boeing’s contribution to security, policing, cyber, information technology and space sectors in the UK and establishing a Boeing presence in the UK space sector this year
Paul Everitt, CEO of ADS said: “Boeing has long been part of the UK’s aerospace and defence industrial landscape, providing valuable jobs and skills that make a direct contribution to the UK economy.”
“By hosting this visit and inviting UK companies to Seattle, Boeing is making a clear commitment to UK businesses, encouraging their growth and providing opportunities for them to succeed. The Aerospace Growth Partnership is focused on improving the competitiveness and global opportunities of UK suppliers. It is great to see Boeing playing its part in helping to secure UK growth and prosperity.”
Sir Michael Arthur, president of Boeing Europe and Managing Director of Boeing UK and Ireland said: “The UK is a critical source of high-quality suppliers for Boeing, across both our commercial and defence businesses. Since 2011 we have more than doubled Boeing’s spending with UK suppliers. As we deliver Boeing’s growth plans for the UK we are working with the Government to ensure we also provide additional opportunities for our partners in the supply chain.”
Suppliers ranging from SMEs through to Primes with the potential or continued potential to supply Boeing on existing or future platforms were invited on the visit.
International Trade Minister, Mark Garnier said: "This supplier conference is a key milestone in the UK’s partnership with Boeing, which was announced at the Farnborough Airshow earlier this year. The UK government wants to see UK suppliers winning more work directly from Boeing and this event will provide a real opportunity for some of our highly capable civil and defence aerospace suppliers to engage directly with Boeing’s decision makers. We look forward to continuing our work with Boeing as it grows its business in the UK and strengthens its ties with the wider UK civil and defence industry."
More than 250 UK companies are suppliers to Boeing and in 2015 the company spent £1.8 billion with them, supporting more than 12,700 jobs in the tier one UK supply chain alone.
The UK-Boeing partnership dates back to the 1930s. Boeing has committed to continuing to grow its workforce in the UK and to opening up further opportunities for British suppliers.
More information here.