NETPark, the North East’s hub for cutting-edge science and technology, played host to the Rt Hon Maria Eagle MP, Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, alongside Alan Strickland MP, as they met with leading innovators shaping the future of UK defence.
The visit, held on 29th January, provided a platform for key discussions between government representatives and some of the UK’s most pioneering defence and technology companies. Hosted at Plexus2, the roundtable discussion brought together Kromek, Filtronic, Graphene Composites, Pragmatic Semiconductor, Raytheon NORSS, Coltraco Ultrasonics, Tekgem, and aXenic, offering direct insight into the challenges and opportunities facing SMEs in the defence sector.
The agenda centred on barriers to government procurement, the importance of strengthening sovereign capability, and industry expectations for the Defence Industrial Strategy. With SMEs playing a key role in the UK’s defence supply chain, the visit provided businesses with an opportunity to showcase their strengths, share how their innovations can support the UK defence industry, and discuss the challenges they face in procurement and growth.
The visit concluded with a tour of Kromek, a NETPark success story that has grown from a Durham University spin-out to an international leader in high-performance radiation detection technology. Kromek’s innovations serve security, defence, civil nuclear, and biological detection markets, demonstrating the critical role of NETPark’s businesses in national security.
The visit provided a valuable opportunity for dialogue between government and industry, highlighting the North East’s contributions to defence and security innovation.
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