Industry News

BIS: Business Minister Michael Fallon recently visited an aerospace firm in Rochester that has secured just over £1m from the government’s Regional Growth FundAeromet, which produces aluminium castings for the aerospace industry, will use the funding for a R&D project to exploit new technologies for its patented aluminium alloy A20X.  
 
Research into the alloy A20X - the strongest cast aluminium alloy available commercially – will help to provide a more cost effective & versatile way to produce aluminium components and explore its use within aerospace & other sectors such as defence, renewables and the automotive markets.  

Above all it is hoped that the research will improve efficiency by reducing the weight of individual components and reducing overall emissions in transportation costs.
Press release & links ~ Aeromet: A20X
 
ScotGov: More than £540k of funding has been awarded to Scotland’s brightest & most innovative start-ups, Finance Secretary John Swinney confirmed last week at the Scottish EDGE Awards.  

17 young Scottish businesses that have demonstrated the greatest potential to grow & succeed have secured awards of up to £50k through the Scottish Government’s Scottish EDGE fund, which aims to support & encourage entrepreneurial activity in Scotland.
Press release & links
 
BIS: As part of the Aerospace Growth Partnership, the UK aerospace industry & government have committed £3m each over 3 years to help recruit talented people who want to build careers in aerospace, but need financial backing to study at Masters level.  

A bursary will be available for students to cover the cost of tuition fees up to a maximum of £9,500.  Extra support will be available for SMEs – their employees will be eligible for a 75% subsidy towards fees.
 
The scheme will support the up-skilling of current aerospace employees already qualified to graduate level, and BSc students currently studying at university.  Those students will be encouraged to make direct links with aerospace businesses to undertake projects to address the challenges faced by industry, and secure opportunities for work experience & future employment. 
Press release & links
 
DSTL: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has awarded multi-million pound research contracts to 3 QinetiQ led consortia and Niteworks to improve information superiority for operations.  

This Defence Science & Technology Laboratoryand DE&S partnership is designed to address the challenges that affect the pull through of research into capability.  These contracts will help deliver a 2-year Information Superiority for Contingent Operations (ISCO) research programme set up by Dstl.
Press release & links
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