Record numbers expected at this year's event for suppliers

Thursday’s NDA Estate Supply Chain Event has reached full capacity, with a record 1,600 visitors now signed up to attend.

More than 300 organisations have taken exhibition space at the EventCity venue, Manchester, which will once again feature the popular Innovation Zone, with technology demonstrations throughout the day. Last year saw the launch of the Skills Zone which has expanded for 2017.

Other government departments attending include:

• the Ministry of Defence (MOD)
• the export-focused Department for International Trade (DIT)
• innovation agency Innovate UK

The event is organised jointly by the NDA and its Site Licence Companies and is now believed to be the biggest of its kind in Europe. Launched in 2011, its aim is to create greater visibility of opportunities for suppliers, in particular for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).

The morning will be opened by new NDA Chief Executive David Peattie, with a further keynote speech by Rear Admiral Keith Beckett from the MOD’s submarine programme.

This will be followed by the annual awards ceremony that acknowledges the vital role of suppliers in driving decommissioning progress across the UK.

The afternoon will see a series of presentations from the NDA’s business units, outlining future opportunities. The day brings together suppliers of all sizes with organisations placing contracts, and provides opportunities for informal face-to-face networking while showcasing the latest nuclear technologies.

Ron Gorham, the NDA’s Head of Supply Chain Optimisation and SME Champion, said:

We’re delighted that the event continues to attract ever more interest, and this year’s looks set to be the busiest yet.

We look forward to engaging with our supply chain, discussing opportunities, listening to their feedback and encouraging newcomers to become involved with decommissioning across the UK. Suppliers are vital to our success and we hope they will take full advantage of the presentations and informal networking.

If you’re not attending, then keep up to date via Twitter and #DecommSupply