The UK leads the super-fast, technology-driven world of motor sport. The motor sport industry is by nature in a permanent state of change, rules that govern the sport are constantly being updated and amended to keep pace with technological advancements and ecological demands.

 

As a result, brand new race series are being created, new teams are formed and opportunities are created.  It is a rich melting pot of activity, keeping pace with these changes can be tricky and it is therefore essential for any business to develop a smart, insightful strategy.

 

Key Figures

 

•The industry boasts an annual turnover of £9 billion compared to £4.6 billion in 2000

•Approximately 4,500 companies are involved in the UK Motor sport and High Performance Engineering Industry

•Of these firms, 87% export their products or services

•Motor sport Valley® is a major source of value-added to the British economy - its average R&D spends of 25% of turnover, dwarfing even the UK Pharmaceutical and IT industries

•The minimum estimated employment for the UK Motor sport activity is 41,000, compared to 38,500 in 2000.

 

Successful firms supplying this global Industry are to be found throughout the UK. The largest concentration of UK motor sport firms is to be located within ‘Motor sport Valley’, a business cluster located in the centre of the UK, with Oxford at its centre. These companies supply the leading-edge technology used in Formula One and dominate the design and manufacture of components used in the majority of the world’s racing categories.

 

Most motor sport engineering firms (53%) believe energy-efficient, low-carbon technologies will be at the heart of future growth. Many indicate an increasing opportunity, to exploit their motor sport engineering capabilities, to efficiently bridge the gap between rapid response, specialist prototyping and mainstream commercialisation of low-carbon technologies by the automotive, defence and aerospace industries.

 

Horizon has a wide network of contacts and knowledge acquired through many years of operating within this sector and can help you to plan an effective sales and marketing campaign in order to fully maximise your potential.

The complexity and variety of the Defence Industry is a constant challenge for businesses wishing to enter this market.

 

After over 10 years of operations in Afghanistan, the UK’s armed forces have now withdrawn, however, political unrest across the globe means that the UK MOD is on constant alert.

 

Challenges closer to home with the threat of terrorist attacks means that the focus is shifting away from traditional military responses to cyber and technological solutions.

 

In response to the shift in demands the UK government is implementing acquisition reform to establish a long-term industrial strategy for defence.  This is an approach that is mirrored by nations around the world offering many opportunities for industry to provide solutions to their requirements.

 

Many nations are facing significant defence transformation as their focus shifts to force reductions. This in itself provides an opportunity to challenge traditional supply chain methodology and creates an environment where new ideas and solutions can flourish.

 

Horizon can provide advice based on in-depth industry knowledge and expertise. We have worked closely with UK, European and US Defence companies and are able to offer advice on the best route to market.

The aerospace industry has seen a dramatic upsurge, particularly sales of commercial aircraft. The worlds two leading manufacturers Boeing and Airbus are in fact finding it difficult to keep pace with demand.

 

Tier 1 & 2 suppliers are keen to improve their competitiveness in the global market. The ability to develop greener, light-weight and more cost-efficient products (with less fuel consumption, reducing emissions and less noise) has become a key differentiating factor.  Often this means developing new advanced materials in partnership with the OEM’s, this in turn can attract both national and international Government funding.

 

In line with these developments, we now see component suppliers offering more complex equipment, equipment suppliers looking to supply subsystems and platform suppliers providing value-added services. Collaborative models in engineering, manufacturing and services are growing in importance as a way to improve quality and production times while cutting unit costs and sharing the investment costs and risks.

 

We are also aware of the growth potential and interest in civil UAV’s.  With more and more uses for UAV’s being found in civilian life there is greater interest from SME’s and aerospace giants alike, it will be interesting to see how this market develops over time.

 

With this in mind, Horizon will help to identify and exploit new sources of growth within many areas of the aerospace industry.

The UK Automotive industry is at the forefront of the country’s economic recovery. In 2014 we built over 1.6 million vehicles and 2.5 million engines, exporting over 80% of our production. The UK is the second largest producer of premium cars in the world, with over 40 companies making vehicles here, at some of the most productive car plants in the world. Output is rising, productivity is rising, employment is rising, and there is a realistic expectation that annual UK vehicle output will reach 2 million vehicles over the coming years.

 

The opportunity for automotive suppliers to invest in the UK has never been more appealing, offering local sourcing of the high value components that the UK’s world-class vehicle makers require.

 

In 2012, working together through the Automotive Council, government and industry identified a £3 billion opportunity to increase UK Tier-1 supply chain value. Since then, UK vehicle makers have re-shored in excess of £1 billion-worth of purchasing and yet as the industry grows, so the opportunities to invest are ever greater. It is now estimated that over the coming years, the potential to re-shore purchases by UK vehicle manufacturer’s amounts to £4 billion per annum of added Tier-1 supplier business.

 

Winning these opportunities will not be easy, however Horizon can help you to focus your efforts by targeting the right contacts in the right way.