Marine Supply Chain Development

The BMF is fully engaged in a Supply Chain Initiative aimed to encourage and support closer collaboration and more effective business relationships between boat builders, equipment manufacturers and suppliers. The initiative is steered and directed by an industry working group comprising boatbuilders and suppliers. The initiative is actively sourcing potential funding opportunities to support the UK Supply Chain in addition to organising a series of events to facilitate effective networking opportunities encouraging the development of beneficial business relationships.

This year’s BMF Supply Chain Conference in Portsmouth brings together industry, Government and academia to discuss the findings of the Government supported UK Marine Supply Chain Study, undertaken by the Southampton Marine & Maritime Institute (SMMI). Professor Douglas Macbeth of SMMI will deliver his findings and set out the report’s recommendations for future action. To support this, key figures from marine and maritime, the automotive sector and a range of business support agencies, will help set out how companies of all sizes can grow and exploit the array of opportunities open to them (including cross sector supply, skills development), as well as help tackle the very real threats to the supply chain’s future (skills gap, historic lack of investment).

Download the current programme and speaker line-up here. The Conference is FREE to attend and we look forward to welcoming members and non members. Deposit payment details will be required, which will only be processed on non-attendance at the event. To register, please complete the registration form and return it to Claire Westbrook at the BMF: cwestbrook@britishmarine.co.uk

UK Marine Supply Chain Conference : Wednesday 26 November 2014 : Action Stations, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

With only one week to go until the BMF Marine Supply Chain Conference on Wednesday 26 November 2014 at Actions Stations, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, here are the reasons why you should join your industry colleagues at this event:-

• Sunseeker International’s Director of Supply Chain, Stephen Potts, will be joined by Andy Chapell, Head of Supply Chain Capability at Babcock International Group, and Mark Edwards, Operations Director at Matchtech Group on an industry discussion panel, to help facilitate discussions about the key issues and opportunities facing the UK’s marine & maritime supply chain. Additional industry speakers will be confirmed shortly. 

• John McCallion, Production Operations Manager at RNLI will be presenting to delegates on the organisation’s ongoing work to introduce lean manufacturing processes as part of their new boatbuilding facility in Poole; helping the industry understand and assess the benefits of introducing and implementing this type of practice.

• Griffon Hoverwork’s Managing Director, Adrian Went, will be addressing delegates on the importance of standards to the industry and why it is essential that standards and regulators keep pace with industry’s needs.

• David Elson, Lead Marine Technologist at Innovate UK (formerly the Technology Strategy Board) will be giving a brief overview on the work the organisation is doing to help marine companies innovate and develop new products and processes. David will be joined by his colleague, James Heydari, Smart Programme Manager, who will explain just why companies should be making more use of Smart Grants to help tackle the funding gap in developing innovative ideas and high growth ambition and potential.

• Brian Johnson, UK Business Development Director, BAE Systems & Chair of the Solent Marine & Maritime Steering Group will be one of the opening speakers at the conference. Mr Johnson will be setting out the work of the Steering Group and how this will benefit the industry and the Solent area.

• Susie Tomson, Sustainability Manager from Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR) will be joined by Julian Young, Chief Executive of Matrix SCM.  They will be giving a presentation on the variety of exciting opportunities available to industry to get involved in their supply chain as they prepare the UK’s challenge for the next Americas Cup. This will include details on the new online portal for their supply chain will operate.

We will keep this page updated as further speakers are confirmed.