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WEAF hosted its last Cluster meeting as we transition into ADS South West our latest Cheltenham & Gloucester Cluster meeting at Dowty Propellers, Gloucester, bringing together a cross-section of the region’s aerospace and advanced engineering community, including Dynamic Metals, Field International, and Bourton Group.
The session reinforced our role in connecting regional capabilities, providing a platform for engagement, knowledge exchange, and supply chain collaboration.
Highlights:
- Strong participation from SMEs and industry leaders across the regional supply chain
- Member spotlights showcasing capabilities and competitiveness
- Direct insight into OEM strategy, innovation priorities, and future technologies
- Enhanced regional connectivity and collaboration opportunities
The meeting opened with Jonathan Chestney (Head of Engineering, Dowty Propellers) sharing the company’s heritage and regional impact. Ed Raggett outlined the transition to ADS South West, highlighting expanded access to national networks, sector insights, and engagement across defence, aerospace, security, and space markets.
The session was hosted by Joe Markey, Dowty’s Engineering Technology Lead, who also presented Dowty’s technology roadmap, offering forward-looking insight into emerging challenges and innovation drivers shaping the sector.
The meeting concluded with structured and informal networking, fostering connections, knowledge sharing, and collaboration opportunities.
Next steps:
ADS South West will continue delivering targeted cluster activity across the region to strengthen capability, improve connectivity, and unlock growth for members.
Members are encouraged to actively engage with upcoming events to increase visibility, build strategic relationships and align with evolving sector priorities.
All slides for this event will be made accessed to members on the Network Portal.