HT Brigham Pressings has welcomed the launch of the new West Midlands Regional Defence and Security Cluster (RDSC), describing the initiative as a major opportunity to strengthen sovereign UK manufacturing capability and unlock new opportunities for British precision engineering businesses operating within defence supply chains.
The Birmingham-based precision metal pressings and tooling specialist believes the new regional partnership reflects the growing importance of resilient UK manufacturing capability as defence spending, programme investment and national security requirements continue to accelerate.
The new cluster, delivered by the West Midlands Growth Company, brings together industry, academia, government and the Armed Forces to support collaboration, innovation and supply chain growth across the UK defence sector. Partners include the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), University of Birmingham, University of Warwick, UK Defence Innovation and the Ministry of Defence.
For HT Brigham Pressings, which manufactures precision metal pressings, presswork, stampings and tooling solutions for advanced engineering sectors, the development aligns closely with increasing demand for dependable UK-based manufacturing capability.
Allan Murray, Managing Director of HT Brigham Pressings, said the creation of the cluster highlighted the strategic role the West Midlands continues to play within the future of British defence manufacturing.
“The West Midlands has always been one of the UK’s industrial powerhouses, particularly in advanced manufacturing, engineering and tooling capability,” said Murray.
“The launch of the Regional Defence and Security Cluster is a very positive step because it recognises the importance of building stronger collaboration between manufacturers, universities, government and defence organisations to support long-term UK capability.”
The region already supports around 23,500 defence-related jobs and attracts approximately £1.7bn in annual Ministry of Defence industry spending.
At the same time, wider UK defence investment continues to rise rapidly amid increasing geopolitical instability and growing emphasis on sovereign manufacturing resilience. Recent figures show UK defence exports exceeded £20bn last year, while MOD industry expenditure has reached a record £31.7bn, supporting more than 460,000 jobs nationwide.
Murray believes this changing landscape is creating significant opportunities for agile UK manufacturers capable of supporting defence supply chains with precision engineering expertise, responsive programme support and dependable domestic production.
“Defence programmes increasingly require resilient UK supply chains, engineering agility and manufacturing partners capable of delivering consistently high standards,” he explained.
“That plays directly into the strengths of British precision manufacturers with established presswork, tooling and assembly capability.”
HT Brigham Pressings operates a diverse press fleet from 60 to 400 tonnes, including progression, transfer and single-operation presses, supporting the manufacture of precision metal pressings and formed components for complex engineering applications.
Combined with integrated in-house toolmaking capability, the company says it is well positioned to support low-to-medium volume defence manufacturing programmes requiring flexibility, traceability and long-term production support.
“In-house tooling capability is becoming increasingly important within defence manufacturing,” Murray said.
“It allows greater responsiveness, faster development support and tighter control over production quality and programme continuity.”
“For defence customers, that combination of manufacturing capability and engineering responsiveness can make a significant difference.”
Operating to AS9100 Rev D and ISO 9001 standards, HT Brigham Pressings also sees growing demand for suppliers capable of meeting the stringent traceability, compliance and quality assurance expectations associated with aerospace and defence manufacturing environments.
“As defence platforms become more technologically advanced, expectations around quality systems, traceability and process control continue to increase,” added Murray.
“Manufacturers that can demonstrate disciplined quality management and dependable UK production capability will be increasingly valuable within future defence supply chains.”
The company believes opportunities are likely to grow across a wide range of defence-related manufacturing areas, including UAV systems, military mobility platforms, communications infrastructure, aerospace structures and next-generation autonomous technologies.
Recent defence investment announcements across the UK have already highlighted increasing momentum within the sector, including artillery systems, military vehicle programmes, AI-enabled defence technologies and naval manufacturing investment.
For Murray, the wider opportunity extends beyond individual contracts and towards rebuilding long-term sovereign industrial capability within the UK.
“There is a growing recognition that strong national defence capability depends upon strong domestic manufacturing capability,” he concluded.
“The UK has exceptional engineering expertise, particularly within the Midlands manufacturing base. Initiatives like this cluster help bring those capabilities together and create stronger foundations for long-term defence growth.”
“As a business specialising in precision pressings, presswork, tooling and engineered assemblies, we see significant opportunities to support the next generation of UK defence manufacturing programmes.”
