Fit For Nuclear Entices SMEs To Aid £60 Billion Nuclear Build Programme

Fit For Nuclear (FFN) is looking for more than 5,000 SMEs across London and the South-East to support a new civil build programme worth £60bn.

The FFN service has been developed by the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (NAMRC) and the Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) to support manufacturers looking to bid for work in the nuclear sector.

Individual grants of £10k are being offered to SMEs that can assist in ensuring the UK has the capacity to provide 16 gigawatts of nuclear power capacity by 2030. 17 former sites, dating back to the 1940s, also need to be decommissioned.

Mike Tynan, chief executive of the NAMRC, said that to be considered for the grant, manufacturers must demonstrate that they “have the ability to meet safety, quality and cost standards; and can demonstrate that their specialist capabilities can deliver value to clients.”

Interested companies must also have a minimum of £1.6m in sales and ten employees. The deadline for project completion is March 2016, so firms are being urged to apply as soon as possible.

Head of MAS Stephen Barr said that of the 200 business working with Fit For Nuclear, “more than 75% have recorded immediate tangible bottom-line benefits".

He added: "We’ve successfully worked with manufacturers involved in aerospace, automotive, electronics, marine and general fabrication, taking their core expertise and making them applicable to nuclear.”

Expert Opinion

We welcome this initiative particularly as it recognises the skills and expertise amongst SME manufacturers. This is often overlooked, but SMEs are the engine room of the UK economy and it is vital that they are encouraged to support large scale civil build programmes like this. <br/> <br/>“The vast majority of businesses benefit financially from FFN and this is a great opportunity for SMEs to get involved and showcase their specialist capabilities.” <br/> Dorrien Peters - Partner