A major conference in October will give Wiltshire firms valuable insight into working with the nuclear sector in the UK and overseas.
The Nuclear South West Showcase and Conference (NSW19) – the UK’s largest event of its kind – will shine a light on current and future opportunities in new build, decommissioning, defence and new technologies. 
Industry leaders will give updates on opportunities at the two-day conference, taking place on October 2 and 3, while attendees will also get the opportunity to find out more about how the region is driving innovation within the sector.
Opportunities in the region include Hinkley Point C – the UK’s first new build in a generation – four sites currently being decommissioned and the development of new technologies for small, modular reactors.
The conference is being staged by Nuclear South West, which was launched in 2015 by Business West, the region’s largest business organisation, to maximise opportunities linked to the industry for firms in the region and make Bristol a global hub for a for innovation in the nuclear industry.
Nuclear South West has teamed up with Enterprise Europe Network, the innovation support organisation, to offer a dedicated ‘matchmaking’ event at the conference.
These free networking sessions with senior industry representatives offer the chance for those attending to engage in one-to-one meetings with key people from companies, universities and public authorities across different supply chains.
Nuclear South West chair Matt Burley, pictured, said: “This event is a great opportunity to connect with existing opportunities in the UK nuclear sector, giving those who attend chance to showcase their capabilities to potential customers and learn about the future direction of nuclear in the UK.
“There continues to be huge opportunities for UK and international companies that want to be part of the UK nuclear supply chain, many of which are located in the South West of England.” 
The event will start with the showcase on October 2 – with an opportunity to visit Hinkley Point C and view company demonstrations focusing on the sector’s use of augmented reality (AR) and robotics at the National College for Nuclear in Bridgwater.
The main conference the following day will be hosted at Bridgwater’s McMillan Theatre and will detail how projects can positively impact the growth of the UK nuclear industry and how this plays a significant role in supporting the region’s economy.
Nuclear South West estimates opportunities with a value of £50bn in the region’s nuclear cluster through investment, innovation and creating high-skilled jobs.
Among speaker at the conference will be Prof Tom Scott, director of South West Nuclear Hub, who will focus on ‘Making the South West a Centre for Advanced Nuclear Technologies’.
The hub is a partnership between Bristol and Oxford universities, the National College for Nuclear, the Somerset Energy Innovation Centre and the Berkeley Green University Technical College.
Alan Cumming, nuclear operations director at the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), will provide an update on decommissioning, while the opportunities of winning UK business and export will be explored by Andy Storer, CEO of NAMRC (Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre), and Tom Greatrex, CEO of trade association the Nuclear Industry Association (NIA).
Nuclear South West aims to establish further opportunities for companies based in the South West, as well as around the UK, to capitalise on the region’s unparalleled strength and potential in the global nuclear industry and build links with overseas companies.
For more information about the conference, visit https://nuclearsouthwest.co.uk/events/2019/9/2/nuclear-south-west-conference-2019
