A busy and productive week for MAA exhibitors and the MAA team
For five days in July, Farnborough International Airshow once again became the meeting place for the global aerospace and defence industry.
From major OEMs and government representatives to SMEs, technology providers and supply chain specialists, the event brought together thousands of organisations from across the world to discuss the future of the sector.
For the Midlands Aerospace Alliance, the week centred around its stand in the UK Pavilion, where 27 member companies exhibited together, creating a focal point for meetings, networking and business discussions throughout the show.
A busy week from start to finish
From the opening morning through to the final afternoon, the MAA stand remained busy, with exhibitors welcoming a steady flow of visitors from across the aerospace community.
For many companies, Farnborough provides a rare opportunity to meet customers, suppliers and industry contacts face-to-face, often continuing conversations that have been taking place online or over the phone for months.
The MAA stand gives members a professional base from which to do exactly that, while also benefiting from the visibility and footfall generated by exhibiting as part of a larger presence.
Steve Cresswell from MJ Sections Ltd believes that makes a real difference.
"The MAA stand is always extremely well presented. Even if visitors weren't planning to visit us, the stand attracts them. They come on, explore the exhibitors and often discover capabilities they weren't expecting to find."
Reflecting on the week, he added:
"Throughout the week we had seemingly endless conversations with people who had simply walked onto the stand. If we'd been in a shell scheme, we definitely wouldn't have had the same meetings."
It's a reminder that while planned meetings are an important part of any airshow, some of the most valuable conversations are the ones that happen unexpectedly.
Aerospace Supply Chain Conference on Rapid Innovation Projects
Tuesday's Aerospace Supply Chain Conference brought together representatives from industry, government and academia to explore how rapid innovation projects can help supply chain companies accelerate the development of new products, technologies and manufacturing processes.
The conference was opened by Chris Weir, CTO of the Midlands Aerospace Alliance (MAA), alongside Professor Chris Bennett, Director of the Institute for Aerospace Technology at the University of Nottingham, followed by an explanation of how rapid innovation projects complement larger, nationally funded programmes by providing smaller grants, typically between £30,000 and £100,000, with significantly faster go/no-go decisions and project launch times, while also giving companies access to world-class university expertise and facilities.
Greg Wells, Head of Technology Partnerships (UK) at Rolls-Royce, provided an update on the UltraFan technology programme and highlighted future opportunities for the aerospace supply chain. Then Anne Ford (PGM Reball), Richard Tuley (European Thermodynamics) and Tim Shires (A&M EDM), shared their experiences with programmes run by the MAA and University of Nottingham, demonstrating that relatively small, rapidly deployed innovation projects can play a vital role in helping Midlands aerospace SMEs develop new capabilities, access expertise and compete for future aerospace and space opportunities.
Claire Ward, Mayor of the East Midlands, and Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands joined Dr Andrew Mair, CEO of the MAA, on stage for a fireside chat. The discussion highlighted the strategic importance of the aerospace and space sectors to the regional economy, while also recognising challenges facing the industry, including recent steel tariffs which, unless addressed, put many jobs at risk in the aerospace supply chain.
The conference concluded with a panel discussion featuring representatives from industry and government, including Nour Eid from the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) and Jon Hulks from the UK Space Agency. Reflecting on the day's discussions, the panel reinforced the importance of collaborative innovation and outlined the range of support available to help aerospace supply chain companies develop new technologies and seize future growth opportunities.
Welcoming visitors to the stand
Throughout the week, the MAA stand welcomed visitors from across government, industry and supporting organisations.
Among them were Jonathan Reynolds, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Kevin Craven, Chief Executive of ADS, Simon Burr, Group Director of Engineering, Technology and Safety at ADS, and Paul Griffiths, Head of Aerospace at the Department for Business and Trade.
The stand also welcomed Sophie Lane, Richard Coates and Ruaidhri O'Donnell from the Aerospace Technology Institute, while Accrofab apprentices visited the show to gain first-hand experience of one of the industry's largest international events.
Another highlight of the week was welcoming SGS United Kingdom Limited as a new member of the Midlands Aerospace Alliance.
More than just an exhibition
Alongside activity on the exhibition floor, the MAA hosted a number of events throughout the week, giving members additional opportunities to spend time together away from the busy halls.
The MAA Farnborough Airshow Networking Dinner, supported by Gowling WLG and Helix, brought together members and guests on Tuesday evening, while the Networking Reception, partnered by Ricardo, welcomed exhibitors and visitors back to the stand on Wednesday afternoon.
These events remain an important part of the Farnborough programme, allowing members to continue conversations in a more informal setting and strengthen relationships across the industry.
Hearing from our exhibitors
The real measure of any airshow is the experience of the companies exhibiting.
For Jamie Stevenson from SJ Group, Farnborough marked another step in the company's aerospace journey.
Just three years ago, aerospace wasn't part of the business. This year, SJ Group exhibited on the MAA stand, meeting long-standing clients, speaking with businesses they had wanted to connect with for years and building new relationships throughout the week.
One line from Jamie's reflections summed up the experience perfectly:
"A base is worth more than a good pair of shoes."
For Helix, the week reinforced the value of being part of the Midlands Aerospace Alliance.
As Stuart Jaycocks, Head of Marketing, explained:
"The MAA membership has fundamentally accelerated Helix's path into aerospace. Farnborough isn't just an event – it's a validation. When you're sharing a stand with industry peers and speaking to OEMs, integrators and supply chain partners in real time, you're not selling products. You're demonstrating that you belong."
He continued:
"The network, the credibility, the introductions; that's the real value of being part of the MAA ecosystem."
Roxanne Gale, Business Development Manager at Weiss Technik UK, also reflected on the week:
"It was a joy for Weiss Technik UK to be part of the Midlands Aerospace Alliance stand at the Farnborough International Airshow. The MAA's organisation was exceptional, the networking event was excellent, and it was wonderful to share the stand with fellow members and catch up with many familiar faces from across the industry."
Each of these reflections highlights a different aspect of the week, from the quality of the stand itself to the conversations, introductions and relationships that developed throughout the show.
Looking ahead
Farnborough International Airshow 2026 was another memorable week for the Midlands Aerospace Alliance and its members.
The MAA would like to thank every company that exhibited on the stand, everyone who contributed to the Aerospace Supply Chain Conference, the partners who supported the week's networking events, and all those who visited the stand throughout the show.
Planning is already underway for Paris Air Show 2027, where the Midlands Aerospace Alliance will once again represent the region on the international stage. Following another successful week at Farnborough, the MAA looks forward to welcoming another strong group of member companies to the UK Pavilion in Paris.
