Tuesday 07 March 2017 12:01 am

Heathrow launches supply chain tour to reach out to more small businesses ahead of third runway expansion

By: Rebecca Smith

Heathrow is seeking to bolster its supply chain with small and medium-sized businesses to help deliver its expansion plans for the third runway.

The UK's biggest airport will host six business summits across the UK this year to appeal to more small British firms and give them insight into Heathrow's major suppliers to help them win new contracts in the future.

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The airport spends over £1.5bn annually with more than 1,200 suppliers from around the UK and there will be more work on the horizon with expansion.

Construction of the runway will be the UK's largest infrastructure project and Heathrow says small and medium-sized businesses will be "critical" to delivering the £16bn investment.

Heathrow expansion programme director Phil Wilbraham said: “We’re keen to sustain a diverse supply chain and embrace innovation to help achieve new standards of delivery which includes our commitment to Heathrow 2.0. We will work with the supply chain for innovative and affordable solutions.”

Its new sustainability strategy Heathrow 2.0 was unveiled last week, including a pledge to make expansion growth carbon neutral, and also committed to establishing business summits in all 12 regions of the UK by 2025.

The 2017 Heathrow business summit schedule:

Yesterday, the Welsh government said airlines wanting to fly from Wales to Heathrow will be able to bid for a share of a proposed £10m route fund. The airport has signed a "strategic partnership" agreement with ministers to identify business opportunities from the planned third runway.

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Under the partnership, they have agreed to hold a summit on 5 July at Cardiff to help Welsh firms secure contracts at the airport.