SME’s rail industry engagement event sold out

THE significance of a sold-out event at the University of Huddersfield, which highlighted the importance of the rail industry’s engagement with the local supply chain, has been exemplified with the recent publication of the Government’s new Rail Sector Deal.

The ‘Supplier Engagement Event’ was hosted by the Centre for Innovation in Rail (CIR), within the University’s Institute of Railway Research (IRR) in the School of Computing and Engineering.

Organised in partnership with the rail industry’s largest business networking organisation, Rail Alliance, the event was an introduction to the benefits of working with the University and industry partners; and was open to SMEs of all sizes and disciplines.

One of the visions of the new Rail Sector Deal, published as part of the Government’s Industrial Strategy, is to expand the capabilities of the rail supply chain and make it easier for new innovative railway suppliers to enter the industry which has been at the heart of the CIR’s strategy since its inception in 2014.

The event was held at the 3M Buckley Innovation Centre and after a day of informative talks from some of the CIR’s major industry partners including, Network Rail, Rail Alliance and Unipart Rail, SME’s were invited to personally engage with them via one-to-one surgery sessions.

Professor Paul Allen, Head of the CIR, said the day provided a crucial stepping stone for businesses to initiate talks with the rail industry, an obstacle which can be difficult to overcome.

“Unless you have direct links with the tier one and two rail organisations in the UK, it can be very difficult for small enterprises to initiate a working relationship,” said Professor Allen.

“With the University already having strategic partnerships with many leading railway companies, we can ultimately provide SME’s with direct links to the relevant research and development teams,” he said.

Rail suppliers

Professor Allen opened the event with an introduction to the University and the remit of the CIR, followed by a talk on the Local Supply Chain from the University’s Head of Regional Engagement, Stephen Gregory.  Rail Alliance’s Business Development Director Richard Carr, concluded the morning’s talk with an Introduction to Rail. 

Speaking next about the current challenges facing Network Rail and welcoming ideas from the SMEs on how to solve them was Mark Gaddes, Network Rail’s European Research and Innovation Manager.  He also detailed the Product Design Framework and how prior to supplying the rail industry, SME’s have to seek ‘Product Acceptance’ and how best to achieve it.

The topic of innovation was at the heart of the day’s final instalments from Unipart Rail’s Engineering Director Dr Steve Ingleton and Procurement Director Karen Beardsley.

The pair informed the audience about Unipart Rail’s Innovation and Technology Hub and how it will be the route to market for the £98 million UK Railway Research Innovation Network (UKRRIN), of which the University is one of the key collaborators as a Centre of Excellence in Rolling Stock.

In addition, the SMEs heard how UKKRIN will open up opportunities for new suppliers and the different ways innovation and technology can be supported in the supply chain.

Professor Allen said there are plans to host a similar event, but rather than being infrastructure focussed, it will be centred around attracting suppliers in Rolling Stock.  

“This event and its individual one-to-one surgery format created great demand, so I’m anticipating the next one to be just as popular,” he added.