Last month we announced John Toner of Teledyne CML Composites as our new Chairman. Here, we speak to John to learn a little more about him and his plans for the Association.

Q) Why did you put yourself forward for the Chairman role? What do you hope to bring?

As member of the Board of Directors at Composites UK since 2015, I have taken great pride in seeing the membership and our offering increase. With a strong team in place and a new five-year growth strategy, it seemed an ideal opportunity to take on the reins. The skills that I have developed in project management, operational experience and strategic planning as a board member and as General Manager of Teledyne CML Composites will hopefully prove beneficial to Composites UK.

Q) Where do you hope to see Composites UK in five years’ time?

By the end of the new five-year growth strategy, I would expect to see a wider awareness of Composites UK and the support we can offer across all sectors of the composites industry in the UK.

I would also like to see a closer working relationship with our membership and the wider composites industry with more companies working collaboratively within the UK to drive composite innovation and the development of our industry on a global stage.

Q) In your opinion, what is the best way members can engage with the Association?

There are a number of ways to engage with Composites UK, the quickest and easiest being to visit our website. Regularly updated, our website provides information on composite material and processes, industry news, support and upcoming events. The website is also home to the Composites UK Hub, an easy to search capabilities database that allows the user to search for information on providers of materials, equipment, software and competencies.

For those interested to get more engaged, membership is highly recommended not least because of the marketing and business support offered but through the networking opportunities it can provide with other companies in our industry and those working in academia/research to develop new technologies.

At Teledyne CML Composites, the networking facet of membership has been instrumental in our understanding of what new technologies are being developed and how we position our business in the long term to benefit from these.

Q) What are the challenges facing the composites industry and how can Composites UK support companies?

The lightweight nature of composites has made the industry truly global and while this opens up opportunities for UK suppliers worldwide, it similarly opens up UK opportunities to overseas competitors.

The longer-term success of UK companies in the composites sector, especially in the post Brexit era, will be a willingness to work collaboratively with other manufacturers, with academia or with catapult centres to drive composite innovation and use it to our collective benefit.

With strong Board representation at Composites UK from business, academia and catapult centres, we are uniquely placed to help support this.

Q) As a member company yourselves, how has being a member of Composites UK helped Teledyne over the years?

Membership has certainly played a part in the growth and development of our business over the years. We have developed meaningful relationships with other Composites UK members including those involved in academia, with whom we have worked closely on key projects.

Information on new emerging technologies gained from these collaborations and from Composites UK has assisted in the development of a future technology roadmap, which forms a key part of our long-term business strategy.

To support our future growth ambitions, we run a ‘Trailblazer’ apprenticeship programme that was launched in 2017 in collaboration with Composites UK, the NCC and the Engineering College in Birkenhead. A three-year programme, it is specifically designed for the Composites sector to secure the future availability of skilled personnel.

At Teledyne CML Composites, there is evidence of the input from Composites UK that has helped our business to be successful. In my role as Chairman, I hope to return the favour.

www.compositesuk.co.uk

Tags

Composites UK Teledyne CML Composites chairman's report

Related Articles

Most recent Articles