AEROSPACE COMPANY IS FIRST UK SME TO DEPLOY 5G PRIVATE NETWORK

AE Aerospace, a leading West Midlands aerospace manufacturer, will be the first UK SME to deploy a 5G private network. The company, which produces parts for customers such as Rolls Royce, Raytheon UK and Tewkesbury-based Moog, will work with Worcestershire 5G and West Midlands 5G.

AE Aerospace believes that 5G-enabled trials will improve productivity and provide existing clients with a better service, as well as creating new business models and revenue opportunities.

as a Service’ environment to develop their processes, products and services on a private 5G network.”

The newly-launched testbed is open to small, medium and large businesses through on-site testing at Malvern Hills Science Park, access to technical and commercial expertise, or extending the network to customer sites.

The Testbed as a Service will also be made available to the next cohort of BetaDen companies. BetaDen is Worcestershire’s commercial technology accelerator based at Malvern Hills Science Park.

Useful websites wm5g.org.uk uk5g.org mhsp.co.uk beta-den.com

Manufacturing in the Midlands generates more than £32 billion GVA a year and accounts for 22 per cent of jobs. Despite the prevalence of large manufacturers in the Midlands, most of the value of the output in manufacturing comes from the SME businesses which make up these organisations’ supply chains.

Key learnings from the trials will be shared with the region’s manufacturers to boost the adoption of 5G technology within the sector. Any efficiencies and productivity gains that AE Aerospace and WM5G prove from these trials could also be replicated across the sector to support the region’s economic growth.

Peter Bruch, Managing Director at AE Aerospace, said: “We are delighted to have been chosen to develop the 5G technology which will improve our productivity and flexibility, reducing costs and lead time for our customers. Post Covid and Brexit, we believe that this support will be a driving force, enabling the UK manufacturing sector to compete on the world stage.”

Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, added: “We face a massive challenge to get our economy back on track and we must capitalise on new technology to supercharge that recovery.”

COVID BUSINESS RECOVERY START-UP & EARLY STAGE BUSINESSES

Here2Help Business Grants

We have a range of grants available to help Worcestershire businesses invest in projects to help recover, adapt, develop and support future resilience in response to COVID-19. Grant support is offered on a 50% match funded basis, including:

• Sustain & Grow Grant: up to £25,000 capital and revenue

• COVID-19 Response Grant: up to £100,000 capital only

• Agriculture & Horticulture Grant: up to £10,000 capital only

• Graduate Development Grant: up to £10,000

Who is eligible?

Applicants in eligible sectors must be:

• Operating within Worcestershire and have a Worcestershire business address

• Trading predominantly B2B

• A limited company, a sole trader or partnership (trading over 12 months)

Within an eligible sector, to find out more, visit: www.worcestershire.gov.uk/here2helpbusiness

Adapt Programme Support

Set up in response to COVID-19, the Here2Help Adapt Programme offers flexible and free support in critical areas to enable Worcestershire businesses to move forward and grow in the post pandemic economy.

All businesses in Worcestershire can receive a 1:1 advice session, which involves up to three hours of free support with a specialist advisor. As well as this, eligible businesses can receive up to six days of bespoke, in-depth, one to one support to address more complex, longer-term considerations.

Eligibility criteria applies.

To find out more, visit: www.worcestershire.gov.uk/here2helpbusiness

Enterprising Worcestershire Grants

Grants between £1,000£15,000 are available to enable start-up and early stage enterprises to develop and prosper. This grant support provides 40% of the total cost of a project, with the remaining 60% provided by the SME.

Who is eligible?

Applicants must be based in Worcestershire and:

• Be defined as an SME and employ fewer than 250 employees

• Be less than 3 years old

• Have a turnover of less than the equivalent of €50 million per annum or a balance sheet of less than €43 million

• Trade predominantly B2B (70%)

• Full European Regional Development Funding (ERDF) eligibility criteria also applies.

To find out more, visit: www.business-central.co.uk/eworcestershire

Enterprising Worcestershire Support

As well as grant funding, the Enterprising Worcestershire programme offers a variety of support for start-ups and early stage businesses, ideal for those looking to start and develop their own business. This support includes free startup master classes, business coaching, specialist consultancy support and business membership funding to help take your business ideas to the next level.

Full European Regional Development Funding (ERDF) eligibility criteria applies.

To find out more, visit: www.business-central.co.uk/eworcestershire

To stay up to date with the latest business news in Worcestershire, follow @BusinessWorcs on Twitter or Worcestershire County Council on LinkedIn. You can also visit our website: www.worcestershire.gov.uk/supportforbusinesses