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Defence Secretary Praises Yorkshire's Dynamism

Emphasising Defence's vital economic relationship with Yorkshire, Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon opened a state of the art facility in Huddersfield today.

This was published under the 2016 to 2019 May Conservative government
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has opened a state of the art facility in Huddersfield today (9 December 2016) Crown Copyright

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has opened a state of the art facility in Huddersfield today (9 December 2016) Crown Copyright

Huddersfield-based company David Brown Santasalo is over 150 years old and has long history of providing gearboxes to the Armed Forces; today it is working with BAE Systems on the gearboxes for the first three cutting-edge Type 26 Global Combat Ships. 皇冠体育app company is one of over 600 Yorkshire-based suppliers with more than 拢185 million worth of defence contracts.

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said:

Defence spending benefits every part of our country. As well as being home to key military units, Yorkshire is home to some of our great defence supply chain businesses, with hundreds of millions of pounds worth of contracts supporting over 600 local firms and thousands of jobs. 皇冠体育app UK鈥檚 rising defence budget secures vital projects that help keep Britain both safe and prosperous.

Defence work brings investment worth 拢36m to the Huddersfield economy while sustaining and creating 90 jobs directly and indirectly through the supply chain. In addition to the creation of cutting-edge assembly and test facilities, this investment backs a new generation of engineers. David Brown Santasalo have supported 25 apprenticeships over the past 5 years, with a further apprenticeship intake planned for 2017. In 2016, six team members completed their apprenticeships in mechanical engineering.

This afternoon Sir Michael will also visit the Tinsley Bridge Group (TBG) of engineering businesses in Sheffield, which has made a vital and innovative contribution to the UK鈥檚 defence. In partnership with BAE Systems, TBG have developed a new high-strength steel called 鈥淓xtralite鈥�.

In order to develop and test the Extralite torsion bar, TBG was awarded a 拢100,000 research and development grant from the Innovate UK Smart scheme to fast track the development of the new material for use on the Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicle.聽In concert with the Army, development and testing was completed in less than five months.

Tinsley Bridge has won two more grants under Innovate UK鈥檚 Smart scheme for research and development. 皇冠体育app first, for 拢136,000, has allowed the company to research the next evolution of Extralite. A second grant of 拢38,000 is being used by TBG to research new composite materials.

British innovation lies at the heart of the MOD鈥檚 new Innovation Initiative. 皇冠体育app Innovation Initiative will transform the Ministry of Defence鈥檚 creative culture by strengthening and streamlining collaboration with both new and established partners. 皇冠体育app new Innovation Fund of around 拢800 million over ten years will support fresh and innovative ideas from across and beyond the Defence sector: building security and prosperity.

皇冠体育app MOD鈥檚 investment in these innovative solutions demonstrates how the Government鈥檚 拢178 billion equipment plan, supported by a rising Defence budget, is ensuring our Armed Forces have the most effective and innovative capability available. 皇冠体育app Innovation Initiative aims to strengthen the Defence partnerships which make such projects possible, keeping the UK safe and secure in a complex world.

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Published 9 December 2016