The UK aerospace industry received a major vote of confidence this summer with the announcement of a new Aerospace Sector Deal, designed to strengthen supply chains, accelerate innovation and support SMEs across the country. For AddQual, the Derby-based metrology and inspection specialist, the deal comes at a time when demand for its services is surging—and Managing Director Ben Anderson believes the firm is ideally placed to benefit from a sector entering a new era of growth.
“Aerospace is one of the UK’s strongest success stories, and the new Sector Deal proves that government and industry are committed to keeping it that way,” says Anderson. “For us, it’s about making sure the supply chain has the confidence and capability to deliver at the pace global demand now requires. That’s exactly what AddQual was built for.”
The figures behind the sector tell their own story. Aerospace contributes £35 billion a year to the UK economy, employs 120,000 people in highly skilled jobs, and generates the majority of its revenues from exports. With an estimated 38,000 large passenger aircraft required worldwide over the next 20 years, the opportunity for UK suppliers is vast.
AddQual’s role, Anderson argues, is to help manufacturers capture that opportunity by solving one of aerospace’s most persistent pain points: qualification bottlenecks. “If you’re waiting a week for inspection and qualification data, you’re holding up production, and in aerospace that means time, money and risk,” he explains. “We’ve demonstrated that we can deliver robust qualification reports in less than 24 hours. That agility will be critical as the sector ramps up.”
The company has carved out a reputation for turning around high-accuracy, NADCAP-accredited inspection and qualification work at record speed. By combining advanced 3D structured light scanning with automated, traceable workflows, AddQual enables aerospace primes and their suppliers to make confident decisions faster, with clearer audit trails and fewer production delays.
That agility, Anderson says, is exactly what the new Sector Deal seeks to embed across the supply chain. “The focus on SME competitiveness is really welcome. For years, the challenge for smaller firms has been fragmented support and complex funding. If this deal makes it easier for companies like ours to innovate and grow, the whole sector benefits.”
The Sector Deal also prioritises clean growth and next-generation technologies, from electric propulsion to urban air mobility. Anderson sees a direct role for AddQual in this transition. “These platforms demand new materials, new processes and new qualification regimes. It’s not just about checking parts—it’s about enabling a safe and rapid transition to sustainable flight. That’s where our expertise adds real value.”
For AddQual, the future is about growth at home and abroad, but also about contributing to the resilience of UK aerospace. “We’re proud to be part of a Midlands cluster that continues to punch above its weight globally,” says Anderson. “The resilience and ingenuity of UK manufacturers is why we remain competitive internationally. With the right support, there’s no reason we can’t lead the next chapter of aerospace.”
