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Rail supply chain backs new group to drive UK infrastructure export growth

A national group aiming to bring the leaders of multiple UK infrastructure organisations together has this week been launched by the Department of International Trade (DIT), with the rail sector strongly represented.

The Infrastructure Exports Group UK (IE:UK) includes a number of influential figures involved in the rail industry, including Sir Terry Morgan CBE, chairman of Crossrail, Martin Bellamy, executive director of BAM Nuttall and Gordon Turley, major projects director of Mott MacDonald, amongst others.

Those sitting on the group’s board will support exporters by selecting and targeting lucrative projects and markets, as well as participate in and help form UK partnership models to deliver identified projects.

The department will join with 14 other leading UK infrastructure firms from a number of sectors, and will support companies to secure major international contracts.

Though the IE:UK is led by the industry, it will also pursue infrastructure projects with government support. On top of that, it will scope new markets to shape future opportunities and decide on prioritisation whilst also creating an innovative capability demonstrator that highlights UK expertise.

Darren Caplan, chief executive of the Railway Industry Association (RIA), welcomed the formation of the group.

“It is an important objective of RIA to increase the number of UK rail exporters and promote wider access to international contracts for its member companies, and this initiative can only help,” he said.

“RIA’s ambition – along with the Rail Supply Group coalition – is to increase the trading capability of the rail UK supply chain and double export volumes by 2025.

“We hope that the Infrastructure Exports UK group will help UK rail firms secure major overseas contracts – helping to demonstrate and showcase the skills and expertise of UK rail – and that these awards will further involve UK supply chain manufacturers and small and medium-sized enterprises too.”

The National Infrastructure Commission recently listed three critical railway projects in the top four infrastructure priorities the government must focus on within the next year, with rapid progress on these said to be an “acid test” of Whitehall’s commitment to a so-called ‘jobs first Brexit’.

The full membership of the group is:

• Rt Hon Greg Hands, Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Department for International Trade and Minister for London (co-Chair)
• James Wates CBE, Chairman, Wates Group Ltd (co-Chair)
• Sir John Armitt CBE, Chairman, City and Guilds Group
• Sir Terry Morgan CBE, Chairman, Crossrail Ltd
• Shaun Carter, Group Development and Strategy Director, Carillion plc
• Andrew McNaughton, Directoire, Chief Operating Officer, Systra
• Philip Bouverat, Director, JCB
• Nick Roberts, Chief Executive Officer, UK and Europe, Atkins
• Martin Bellamy, Executive Director, BAM Nuttall
• Mark Holmes, Chief Operating Officer, Consultancy, Mace
• Tracey Smith, Chief Executive, British Expertise International
• Graham Cartledge, Chairman, Benoy
• James Stewart, Chairman, Global Infrastructure, KPMG
• Gordon Turley, Major Projects Director, Mott MacDonald
• Freddie Patterson, Business Development Director, Lagan Construction Group
• Peter Chamley, Global Infrastructure Lead, Arup
• Stuart Senior, Main Board, Gleeds
• Dean Purvis, Director, Infrastructure, Turner & Townsend
• Brian Gallagher, CEO, Infrastructure, Department for International Trade