As it marks its 20th year, DSEI is proud to launch a new Supply Chain Programme to connect buyers and providers and enable procurement DSEI attendees to pre-select companies they would like to meet.
The DSEI Supply Chain Programme, gives those who work in procurement, purchasing, supply, design engineering and manufacturing a unique opportunity to meet with SMEs and other companies with new and innovative products and services to offer.
The programme is buyer-led with an online diary appointment tool, allowing buyers to pre-select the companies they wish to meet with. A personal meetings programme is then designed for the buyer prior to the opening of DSEI, ensuring that exhibitors will be ready and prepared to meet at the designated time. A dedicated concierge service is provided to handle any queries both prior to the event and onsite, and participants in the programme are also given fast track entry to DSEI, and access to the exclusive onsite Supply Chain Lounge and daily networking events to make connections in an accessible business environment.
The programme is supported by Strategic and Supporting Partners from some of the biggest names in the industry.
Ed Robinson, Director and Defence Lead at Turner and Townsend, a multinational project management and consultancy business based in Leeds, said: “We are excited to be a strategic partner at DSEI 2019, to share our experience of driving value, performance and outcomes on international, complex defence projects. We are looking to engaging with DSEI attendees and delegations from the UK and across the globe.”
Simon Williams, Chairman of Clarion Defence and Security, said: “Capability requires availability in order to be effective. Improving availability through re-engineering and re-imagining existing solutions is an unglamorous but vital part of the efforts undertaken by UK industry to deliver capability to the UK armed forces and their partners. DSEI’s emphasis on the supply chain and the UK’s manufacturing capability and capacity are designed to connect those in search of availability as much as those who are seeking new and novel solutions.”
As part of DSEI 2019’s keynote speaker series, Friday September 13th will include a Supply Chain Keynote Panel on “Industry Productivity & Growth”. The panel will consist of Andrew Forzani (Chief Commercial Officer, UK MoD), Stephen Phipson CBE (CEO, Make UK), Paul Everitt (CEO, ADS Group) and Tim Just (Chair of Defence & Security Board, techUK) and a Senior Representative from HVM Catapult.
Andrew Forzani said: “The Supply Chain is a clear focus for DSEI this year - it creates a great showcase for how primes are working with smaller, more niche suppliers who are the experts and innovators in their areas, and how the defence world is opening itself up to working with these smaller-scale suppliers and is able to connect them with primes. With the UK Government target of 33% of expenditure going to SMEs either directly or in the supply chain, and the boost this could bring to the economy after Brexit, this programme at DSEI is a very timely opportunity for us to highlight our action plan and goals in that area.”