West Midlands SMEs Engage in Supply Chain Growth at ‘Meet the Buyer’ Event at BCIMO

An exclusive ‘Meet the Buyer’ event was held at the Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre (VLRNIC) earlier this month and welcomed more than a hundred regional SMEs to connect with and develop new supply chains as part of the West Midlands Combined Authority and Business Growth West Midlands ‘Supply Chain Transition Programme’.

During the event on 4th February, which was opened by Mayor of the West Midlands and hosted by Rachel Eade MBE, Supply Chain Specialist at the University of Birmingham, SMEs had the opportunity to connect with key customers as they sought to diversify and build their customer bases for the future. It was organised by C&W Business Solutions, part of the CW Growth Hub Group, in partnership with the Finditin Network and the West Midlands Growth Company; and was held at the VLRNIC as an ideal venue central to regional innovation in the transport sector.

The event marked the culmination of two strands of the fully funded Supply Chain Transition Programme, focused on Very Light Rail (VLR) and Light Electric Vehicles, and Micromobility, with attendees hearing from industry experts as they developed their understanding of emerging technologies and the range of support available, particularly beyond the programme as projects and businesses continue to develop. The Mayor discussed his plans to attract more investment into the region’s transport system, emphasising the critical role of regional SMEs in his plans for more connected, sustainable and innovative transport, and the importance of ensuring they receive that support needed to build strong, local supply chains.

The £1 million programme began in 2024 and is funded by the Commonwealth Games Legacy Fund through the West Midlands Combined Authority and Business Growth West Midlands. It helps SMEs from traditional carbon-intensive industries identify how they can refocus operations and enter new markets as needed, alongside becoming more sustainable. Angus Brummitt-Brown, Senior Very Light Rail (VLR) Project Manager at Coventry City Council, highlighted key opportunities for SMEs within the Coventry VLR project, a pioneering R&D project that has been sited at the VLRNIC since it opened in 2022, and explained how the businesses can get involved in this emerging supply chain.

The event aligns perfectly with the third of BCIMO’s framework for innovation ‘cogs’: ‘Supply Chains of the Future’, the development of which is an essential next step following the introduction of new technologies to the market, and provided the ideal setting for buyers to find out more about the capabilities of the local supply chain and communicate their requirements to help overcome supply chain challenges.

For innovations to succeed, they require the development or re-development of robust supply chains, as highlighted by the SMEs on BCIMO’s Clean Futures programme. Here, innovators have either presented a new solution to an industry challenge, thus requiring the creation of a brand new chain, or enhanced an existing product or process aimed at supporting the transport industry – specifically rail for those working with BCIMO – to achieve its ‘green’, decarbonisation agenda, thus requiring changes and/or additions to an existing chain.

The Black Country region, where BCIMO ‘lives’, has long been at the heart of industry and innovation, and has been a major hub for supply chains across a broad range of industries since the Industrial Revolution. And indeed, its innovative ‘DNA’ has the potential not only to spark ideas but to inspire innovation within its own chain, as Clean Futures has demonstrated.

In Cohort 1, BoxTube, a regional startup developing a granular logistics system for rapid freight loading onto rolling stock, worked with established local foundry and machine shop, AluCast, to supply aluminium components for its technology. During the manufacturing process for BoxTube, they then began to trial lower carbon solutions for aluminium casting, which led to conversations about the potential for AluCast to apply for Cohort 2 and thus receive support to continue that development and to demonstrate the further potential for application within rail.

Having been successful, AluCast are now preparing to showcase their innovation at next week’s end-of-programme ‘Demonstration Day’, for which in turn they have collaborated with another Cohort 2 SME, GBR Rail, to produce a complex assembly for their on-train toilet waste treatment system. AluCast’s own experience in aluminium supply chains is diverse, from brake capilers on high-performance cars to parts for the Olympic torch, further emphasising the role of cross-sector innovation and application in the development of organisations and industries. As innovation continues apace, within and beyond rail, programmes like Clean Futures and events such as Meet the Buyer continue to build this capability of businesses to grow and diversify.

More on the supply chain cog, and the final cog in the wheel: ‘Workforces of the Future’, coming soon!

Following on from this event, BCIMO is delighted to also be hosting the sold out ‘Meet the Buyer’ event for the Aerospace strand of the programme which will take place on Wednesday 5th April.

Although the Supply Chain Transition Programme is currently fully subscribed, SMEs interested in this type of support can contact supplychaintransition@cwgrowthhub.co.uk.

Speaking at the event, Rachel Eade MBE said:

“SMEs play a critical role in all manufacturing supply chains, and true innovation often happens within these businesses. Strong regional supply chains are essential, providing valuable opportunities for SMEs to engage and diversify. This event has been a superb opportunity for SMEs to explore and understand how they can collaborate with key customers.”

Andy Davis, Strategy and Analytics Executive Officer at C&W Business Solutions, said:

“It was great to see the programme’s cohort connecting with key buyers at this fantastic facility in our region. Events like this give SMEs the chance to build connections and learn about the future growth opportunities available, whilst helping key customers in the region build strong, local supply chains, which facilitate agility and sustainability.”

James Black, Principal Engineer from Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) at the University of Warwick, headline sponsors for the event, said:

“WMG are delivering the Supply Chain Transition Programme for the micromobility sector, and we were proud to sponsor this Meet the Buyer event. It was the perfect opportunity for our cohort of SMEs to connect with key customers and SMEs in the West Midlands who are looking to adapt and grow their regional supply chains.”

Neil Fulton, CEO at BCIMO, said:

“We were thrilled to be selected as the host venue for this Meet the Buyer event which aligns perfectly with our organisational goals. This initiative, together with our work on the Clean Futures programme, sets the stage for a dynamic and prosperous future in transport technology for the both the West Midlands and the wider UK. We very much look forward to hosting the programme’s Aerospace event on the 5th March.”

For more information on BCIMO or the VLRNIC, please visit the BCIMO website or click Contact Us to make an enquiry / sign up to our mailing list.