The recent Farnborough Airshow provided the ideal platform for the presentation by Peter Hogg, director of procurement strategy, BAE Systems, of the SC21 Bronze Award to Hone-All Precision. The award was received at the show by quality manager, Wayne Wilson and director Andrea Rodney.

Although there are currently 626 UK-based aerospace industry suppliers signed up to the SC21 supply chain initiative, Bronze level status has only been achieved by some thirty UK companies to date, with Hone-All Precision being number 25 on the list and having the distinction of achieving the Bronze Award milestone in the shortest timescale.

SC21, which is backed by A|D|S – the trade body formed by the merger of, among others, the Defence Manufacturers Association (DMA) and the Society of British Aerospace Companies (SBAC) – is a crucial element in the UK aerospace industry’s drive to remove duplication and improve efficiency within the supply chain.

In his role as chairman of the SC21 task force Mr Hogg heads a team comprising the top 16 major suppliers to the UK aerospace industry. He commented: “While SC21 is a relatively recent introduction it is already resulting in performance improvements, better delivery, better quality, and reduced overheads and cost because suppliers only have to face a particular problem once within a multiple customer base. This is good news for our major customer – the Government and MoD – and for the UK economy as a whole.”

Acknowledging that SC21 presents a significant challenge, especially to SMEs taking an independent route to qualification, Mrs Rodney will be taking part in the Open Forum Programme that accompanies the Aero Engineering 2010 exhibition scheduled for 29-30 September 2010 at the NEC, Birmingham.

“I intend to take this opportunity to offer encouragement and reassurance to other SMEs that the objectives set by SC21 are achievable, given a clear agenda for change and a determination to devote the time and resource necessary for a successful outcome,” she concluded. “The incentive for every participant taking part in this supply chain improvement programme is that successful implementation of SC21 provides incontrovertible evidence of an individual supplier’s determination to be truly world class.”

Hone-All
www.hone-all.co.uk