Composites UK is delighted with the recent success of its two-day Supplier Engagement Event, hosted by BAE Systems in the North West of England. The exclusive event brought together leading companies from across the composites supply chain and BAE Systems decision-makers to showcase innovation, strengthen relationships and explore new procurement opportunities.
Designed to spotlight the capabilities of Composites UK members, the event featured a tabletop exhibition space for participating companies, enabling direct engagement with representatives from BAE Systems and key industry stakeholders. Throughout both days, BAE Systems personnel visited exhibitors to discuss technologies, applications and potential collaboration opportunities. A different group of Composites UK members attended on each day in order to involve as many members as possible.
Alex Roberts – Head of Production F35 Carbon Composites at BAE Systems delivered an informative presentation, outlining current and future procurement requirements, as well as composite-related programmes and projects across the organisation. This provided valuable insights into upcoming opportunities and the strategic direction of one of the UK’s leading defence and aerospace manufacturers.
The event was fully subscribed and attracted strong engagement from both Composites UK members and visiting BAE Systems attendees, reflecting the depth of innovation and capability within the UK composites sector. Feedback from attendees highlighted the quality of discussions, the relevance of the opportunities presented, and the value of direct access to BAE Systems project and procurement teams.
Speaking after the event, Dr. David Bailey, CEO at Composites UK said:
“This event demonstrated the strength, diversity and readiness of our membership to support complex, high-value programmes across defence and advanced manufacturing. We are grateful to BAE Systems for hosting and for their continued commitment to engaging with the UK composites supply base.”
Alex Roberts from BAE Systems added:
“It was a pleasure to welcome Composites UK members to our North West site. The innovation on display, and the quality of conversations over the two days, reinforced the critical role that the UK composites sector will continue to play in our future programmes.”
Composites UK would like to thank BAE Systems for hosting the event and all members who participated in making it such a success. The organisation looks forward to building on the connections made and supporting further collaboration between its members and major OEMs in 2026 and beyond.