Front row, L-R: Marie Coniston, Lorraine Vanzie, Carla Modley, Karyn Barnes, Corinne Matthews, Suhan Shetty. Back row, L-R: Robert Read, Alexis Hammer, Rob Emony, Adeel Hussain, Cillian Cousins, James Tazzyman, Adam McCoy, Callum Jones.
On 10 November 2022, the Department for International Trade (DIT) visited the iAero Centre and Leonardo as part of a wider tour of the South West aerospace cluster.
The South West Aerospace cluster is the second largest aerospace cluster globally, and is essential to driving the UK’s industrial productivity and excellence. Its purpose is to collaborate to innovate and retain global competitiveness. The iAero Centre in Yeovil, led by Somerset Council, is a key facility for supporting the competitiveness and growth of the aerospace and associated high-value design and engineering technology supply chains.
The centre features as a key asset in the South West Smart and Sustainable High Potential Opportunity, which sets out the region’s unique capabilities in supporting the growth of this sector to overseas investors.
The DIT team visiting the centre included Cillian Cousins, Head of Manufacturing, Mobility and Defence; Lorriane Vanzie, DIT Senior Trade & Investment Advisor; Marie Coniston, IST Head of Partnerships (South); and Rob Emony, IST Partnership Manager.
The DIT team met with Leonardo, who became anchor tenants at the centre in August, and had a tour of Leonardo’s site in Yeovil – the ‘Home of British Helicopters’. DIT also met Honeywell Aerospace who are also taking occupancy in the centre, to support the company’s heritage of aerospace innovation.
Austin Chick, Head of iAero, said “The Department for International Trade adds significant value to our sector, and so the opportunity to see first-hand what iAero can offer is an important milestone for the wider aerospace community in the region.”
The Heart of the South West LEP is a strategic partner, supporting the centre through the Local Growth Fund and Getting Building Fund, as part of the LEP’s ambition to position the Heart of the South West to take advantage of the global ambition to decarbonise the aerospace and aviation sector.
Carla Modley, Inward Investment Lead at the Heart of the South West LEP, said: “It was brilliant to welcome the Department for International Trade team to see the fantastic developments that have been happening at iAero, and recognise key partners like iAero and Leonardo for their contribution to the UK’s aerospace strategy.”
