Issue Spring 2013

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Spring 2013

In this issue... Open Innovation to benefit SMEs General Dynamics UK has recently been awarded funding from the Welsh Government to expand its ‘Open Innovation’ activities. This Welsh Government Open Innovation support is for participating Wales-based Anchor companies to implement, or extend, a framework for open innovation activities, which enables collaborative work with smaller companies based in Wales on commercially exploitable projects. The Welsh Government intends to use ‘Open Innovation’ to disseminate best practice and make recommendations on the future role for the Welsh Government in encouraging open innovation amongst Welsh businesses.

General Dynamics UK plan to further develop its open innovation practices in Wales through an expansion of EDGE UK®

into an Open Innovation network. This expansion supports the Company’s strategy to work with other Welsh Anchor companies and SMEs on opportunities in new technology sectors and markets.

In addition, General Dynamics UK will support the implementation and assessment of this open innovation initiative by a ‘Welsh Government-appointed research organisation’ and will

EDGE UK® Update

participate in a ‘Network of Open Innovation Champions.’ General Dynamics UK’s knowledge and successful track record at EDGE UK will be drawn upon to spread best practice and know-how through its experience of successfully exploiting technology through open innovation processes.

This funding presents opportunities for innovative SMEs in Wales and elsewhere to engage with General Dynamics UK through EDGE UK on commercially exploitable projects. ‘Open Innovation’ opens the doors to new markets for SMEs in Wales, safe in the knowledge that they will retain their intellectual property and have the support and guidance of a Company with the know-how in the security and resilience sector.

Shadow Defence Team visits EDGE UK

Want to know more about ‘Open Innovation?’

Secretary of State for Wales visits General Dynamics UK

Spotlight on… AMG Systems

EDGE Innovation Network Knowledge Management System

Opportunities for SMEs through ‘Innovation for Growth’

ESTnet Knowledge Vault

Officials from the UKTI visit EDGE UK

UKTI DSO hold conference at EDGE UK

Just an ordinary day at EDGE UK

Promoting ‘Responsible Business’ at EDGE UK

Are you attending the Open Innovation Conference?

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Shadow Defence Team visits EDGE UK®

In February, Shadow Defence Ministers from Her Majesty’s Official Opposition visited EDGE UK.Shadow Secretary of State for Defence, the Rt Hon Jim Murphy MP and Shadow Defence Ministers Alison Seabeck MP, Gemma Doyle MP and Russell Brown MP visited General Dynamics UK to learn about its wide-range of capabilities. They took a tour around EDGE UK and saw first-hand the multitude of innovative project collaborations undertaken with SMEs and others at the facility.

Alongside the visit to the EDGE UK, the Shadow Defence Team also visited General Dynamics UK’s ‘Centre for Future Army Systems’ Oakdale 2 site, where they were briefed on the Specialist Vehicle (SV), the world-class Armoured Fighting Vehicle General Dynamics UK is delivering to the British Army.

Speaking during the visit, Rt Hon Jim Murphy MP said: “This is a great visit. General Dynamics make an enormous contribution to our Armed Forces’ ability to project force around the world and to protect themselves and others. The military and economic significance of companies such as General Dynamics means they need to be properly supported to innovate, export and to supply high quality employment.

General Dynamics UK employee Toby Marshall talks to the Shadow Secretary of State, Jim Murphy MP, and Shadow Ministers Alison Seabeck MP, Gemma Doyle MP and Russell Brown MP about a project undertaken at EDGE UK

Want to know more about ‘Open Innovation?’ Our EDGE UK programme manager will outline what ‘Open Innovation’ is and how SMEs, academia and others can get involved and benefit from our team’s expertise at a special ‘Lunch ‘n’ Learn’ session at 12.30 on Friday 21 June 2013 at our EDGE UK facility, South Wales.

If you’re interested in coming along to find out more, please send an email to edgeuk@generaldynamics.uk.com with your details.

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Secretary of State for Wales visits General Dynamics UK

General Dynamics UK hosted Secretary of State for Wales, Rt Hon David Jones MP, at our Newbridge and Oakdale facilities, last November.

During his visit, Mr Jones was given an introduction to General Dynamics UK and toured the EDGE UK®, getting to see up-close how the Company works with SMEs, academia and government to develop ground-breaking technology. The Secretary of State also took the opportunity to meet with two Wales-based SMEs that have undertaken collaborations at EDGE UK, Kodit Database Limited (Flintshire) and ITSUS Consulting (Cardiff).

Commenting afterwards, Mr Jones said: “The activity that the Company is supporting at the EDGE UK is a clear demonstration that British businesses are continuing to innovate in order to satisfy their customers at home and abroad. For 10 years, General Dynamics UK has been responsible for putting Wales on the front line when it comes to supporting our country’s defence and security needs.”

General Dynamics UK was the first security and defence company Mr Jones visited after his appointment as Secretary of State for Wales in September 2012.

General Dynamics UK employees Stuart Porter and Louise Mothersole with the Secretary of State for Wales, Rt Hon David Jones MP, as he tries out Smart BeamTM – a project undertaken at EDGE UK with SME Extreme Cases

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EDGE® Innovation Network Knowledge Management SystemMembers of EDGE UK® can now access the EDGE Innovation Knowledge Management System (KMS), which is a user-friendly web-based tool for industry, SMEs, academia and other EDGE members to find information and documents on EDGE member organisations, government needs and Calls for Innovation (CFIs).

The KMS not only enhances the EDGE process of matchmaking for members in the UK, but opens up the possibility for SMEs, academia and others to access markets across the EDGE Innovation Network.

For further information or to access the KMS, please contact EDGE UK at edgeuk@generaldynamics.uk.com, or alternatively, give us a call on 01495 234567.

Spotlight on… AMG Systems

AMG Systems undertook a project at EDGE UK® recently that evaluated the potential improvements to surveillance solutions by replacing multiple downward-facing HD security cameras with a single 360

o camera.

Any reduction in the number of cameras necessary to meet the customer’s requirements via the use of innovative technology could enable General Dynamics UK to offer more competitive surveillance solutions to customers.

AMG Systems, from Bedfordshire, has developed the PanoCAM360, a 5 Megapixel fish-eye camera that enables the generation of multiple images, including panoramas and de-warped views of different areas, whilst maintaining a high-resolution overview for constant surveillance solutions to customers.

The joint EDGE UK and AMG Systems project evaluated the potential for the use of such cameras and, dependent upon customers requirements, their PanoCAM360 now forms part of General Dynamics UK’s surveillance solutions.

AMG System’s PanoCAM360 captures the Shadow Defence Team’s visit to EDGE UK in February 2013

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ESTnet Knowledge Vault

In March, ESTnet, a network of technology organisations in Wales, launched its Knowledge Vault.

The Knowledge Vault is a database of over 700 ESTnet members. It provides you with a searchable database of potential customers and suppliers who are looking to do business in Wales, broken down into different categories.

For more information, please click here to visit the ESTnet website.

sectors, but it opens the doors for SMEs in Wales, and elsewhere, to access new international markets.

Minister Hart said: “The economy and jobs are top of the Welsh Government’s agenda and by providing support to General Dynamics UK for their ‘Innovation for Growth’ programme, we are helping Welsh universities and SMEs to access international markets. General Dynamics UK is a world-renowned security and defence company and the Welsh Government is delighted that it continues to deliver world-class solutions from Wales.”

Opportunities for SMEs through ‘Innovation for Growth’

In March, Welsh Government Business Minister Edwina Hart AM visited the EDGE UK® facility to launch General Dynamics UK’s innovative three-year partnership with the Welsh Government.

Innovation for Growth is a research and development (R&D) programme which aims to address the critical gap that currently exists between the outputs of much R&D activity, and their realisation as commercial propositions.

The Welsh Government Department for Economy, Science and Transport will partly fund the multi-million pound programme, which will consist of a series of individual R&D projects in the security and resilience sectors. The outcome of each project has strong potential for use in General Dynamics UK’s solutions for current and future international business activities – all of which will be delivered from General Dynamics UK’s Newbridge and Oakdale facilities.

In the delivery of Innovation for Growth projects, General Dynamics UK will work closely with SMEs, academia and others through EDGE UK to harness their expertise to ensure these projects are at the cutting-edge of the security and resilience sectors. Innovation for Growth not only provides General Dynamics UK with the support necessary to ensure it continues to be at the forefront of the security and resilience

Minister Edwina Hart AM at the launch of Innovation for Growth

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UKTI DSO hold conference at EDGE UK®

EDGE UK was the venue for a UK Trade & Investment Defence & Security Organisation (UKTI DSO) SME event, in April. Over 20 SMEs attended to learn more about overseas defence and security sales and the support available from the UK and Welsh Government’s.

SMEs were updated on the developing home and overseas security market, on how the UK Armed Forces can help boost products in the overseas market, and were briefed on the latest Government initiative to aid export funding. Opportunity was afforded to allow SMEs to network with other like-minded businesses.

In addition, SMEs were given a briefing by Louise Mothersole, EDGE UK programme manager, entitled ‘Selling to Primes: Doing business with General Dynamics UK,’ which also included a tour of the facility.

This is just one of many UKTI DSO events that General Dynamics UK supports across the UK.

Officials from the UKTI visit EDGE UK®

In February, at the request of the Welsh Government, EDGE UK hosted 20 officials from UK Trade & Investment (UKTI).

The officials, who are Inward Investment Officers based in British Embassies and High Commissions around the world, were visiting Wales as part of the Welsh Government’s drive to promote Wales internationally. As a leading Anchor Company in Wales, and in recognition of the high regard in which the Company is held by

Lead EDGE UK engineer Simon Bennett (right) briefs UKTI Officials on projects underway at the facility

the Welsh Government, General Dynamics UK was invited to participate to highlight our innovative and collaborative practices at EDGE UK.

The officials were given an introduction on how EDGE UK operates, which was followed by a tour of the facility. The UKTI officials were impressed by everything they saw at EDGE UK, and commented that it was the highlight of their visit to Wales.

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Just an ordinary day at EDGE UK®

Simon Bennett is the Lead Engineer at EDGE UK. He has worked for General Dynamics UK since 2002, and is the creative mind behind many of the collaborative projects undertaken at EDGE UK.

He discusses an ordinary day as the facility’s Lead Engineer:

“Mornings begin by looking at what collaborative projects are on the horizon and what more can be done to support those SMEs we’re already engaged with. Today, that meant that Louise Mothersole, EDGE UK programme manager, and I visited the National Centre for Product Design and Research (PDR).

“PDR is a research facility, which is part of Cardiff Metropolitan University, with a worldwide reputation in developing knowledge in product

design and development. Louise and I toured the impressive facility, and saw first-hand the cutting-edge techniques and manufacturing capability of PDR. Importantly, these capabilities are available to external companies.

“PDR’s capabilities were ideally suited to the needs of some of the SMEs engaged with us at EDGE UK, and we were able to introduce a number of SMEs who we thought would benefit from engaging with PDR. The different business backgrounds between EDGE UK and PDR ensured we came up with exciting and innovative possibilities for engaging with SMEs on potential projects of mutual benefit.

“My day didn’t end there though. It was straight back to EDGE UK to give a tour to a European military delegation, which covered many of the collaborative projects and technologies offered by our EDGE UK members. We demonstrated SME technologies operating with General Dynamics UK’s products, which provide new capabilities and improvements to existing capabilities, and allow customers to make greater use of their existing technologies.

“The great thing about a live technology demonstration is that it not only brings the

technology to life, but it neatly illustrates the EDGE concept – by bringing technologies together you can enhance their capabilities and open up new possibilities. It is also interesting to see what features spark the greatest interest with an audience and this superb feedback mechanism gives us new ideas for concept development.

“Once the tour is out of the way, it’s back to my desk to carry on working on our ongoing projects with SMEs.”

If you’d like to speak to Simon about a potential EDGE UK project, please contact edgeuk@generaldynamics.uk.com

Simon Bennett in an EDGE UK laboratory working on a current collaborative project

Simon Bennett gives an EDGE UK tour to a military delegation

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For more information about EDGE UK®, please contact edgeuk@generaldynamics.uk.com alternatively, give us a call on +44 (0)1495 234567

Promoting ‘Responsible Business’ at EDGE UK®

In February, General Dynamics UK supported a Welsh Government drive to promote responsible business practices to SMEs by hosting a ‘Responsible Business’ seminar at the EDGE UK.

More than 20 Welsh small businesses attended the event, entitled ‘Developing engineering talent in Wales,’ which looked at the activities that General Dynamics UK undertakes to promote and develop engineering talent.

Alongside learning about ‘Responsible Business’ and developing engineering talent practices at General Dynamics UK, SMEs were able to network with representatives from EDGE UK, Open University, University of Glamorgan, Cardiff University, Cardiff Metropolitan University, University of Wales Newport, Federation of Small Business Wales and ESTnet.

Representatives from SMEs and other organisations network at the ‘Responsible Business’ seminar

Welsh Government Deputy Director for the Further Education Division at the Department of Education and Skills, Andrew Clark, presented to a range of SMEs, universities and local organisations

Are you attending the Open Innovation Conference?EDGE UK® programme manager, Louise Mothersole, is speaking at the Open Innovation Conference, which is being held at Cardiff School of Management, on Thursday 23 May 2013.

The Open Innovation Conference will demonstrate how open innovation encourages companies to break free from an internal R&D perspective to embrace external expertise and know-how to develop breakthrough technologies, products and services.

For more information about the conference or to book your place, please visit: http://openyourinnovation.eventbrite.com/#