Staffordshire has been identified as a key area as Heathrow Aiport looks to up the number of companies it works with.
The UK’s only hub airport is a vital infrastructure asset to the UK and 60 per cent of its supply chain made up of SMEs.
Heathrow invested £119.5 million into the West Midlands region in 2024 – and it is urging more businesses in Staffordshire to become part of its supply chain.
Sarah Ralphs, External Affairs Lead at Heathrow, said: “We were recently crowned the most connected airport in the world but we aim to become an extraordinary airport fit for the future. To do so we need to work with innovative businesses like those across Staffordshire to achieve our aims.
“With £2.3 billion of investment planned for the next two years at Heathrow, there’s lots of opportunities for Staffordshire businesses to get involved in Heathrow’s supply chain.
“It doesn’t matter how big or small your business is – in fact, 60 per cent of our supply chain is made up of SMEs.
“Opportunities in our supply chain can really help businesses to grow. For example, cyber security firm, Bridewell began working with Heathrow in 2018 with a team of 20 has since grown to a workforce of around 300 and attributes its growth to the confidence that Heathrow showed in its services.”
Heathrow currently works with over 1,500 businesses in areas including engineering, manufacturing and safety.
Chris Plant, Deputy CEO of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, said: “We are delighted that Heathrow Airport has been actively working with Staffordshire Chambers to create supply chain opportunities for our local businesses in Staffordshire. We want to work with them to share the economic benefits generated by the airport to support our local economy.
“We congratulate Heathrow’s commitment to fostering a local supply chain and this a key part of their broader strategy to work with partners and stakeholders of all sizes across the UK, ensuring a diverse range of businesses can thrive.
“We want Staffordshire to be at the top of the list when any opportunities arise.”
Businesses interested in joining the supply chain, should get in touch with the procurement team by emailing: [email protected] or [email protected] for SMEs.
To find out more about working with Heathrow, click here.
