Gardner Aerospace

Gardner Aerospace continues to support customers and partners during global health crisis

Gardner Aerospace — 03/04/2020

During this global health crisis, Gardner Aerospace is committed to keeping our employees safe, whilst doing all we can to support our customers and partners within the industry.

We are monitoring the impact of Covid-19 on a daily basis and have decided to reduce staffing levels at some sites until 14 April to protect employees, limiting the risk of exposure to the virus. This is in alignment with government guidelines and with our customers who are taking similar actions.

We are however, still responding to customer requirements, operating as normal across many sites and continuing to ship product with little disruption.

We would like to thank all our employees for their continued support during these unprecedented times.

Gardner Aerospace – Rapid Diversification to Support the Ventilator Challenge

Gardner Aerospace — 29/06/2020

As the spread of Covid-19 rose in the UK during late March I think like allot of businesses we were surprised by how quickly it affected our ability to operate with any degree of normality. Our site in Derby was forced to close for a two-week period whilst we made the facility ‘Covid Safe’, and also tried to work out a short-term plan conscious of the impact both on our customers and also our own internal and external supply chains.

On 8th April we received an enquiry to supply ventilator casings to a company called Smith & Nephew, based in the North-East. We’d seen other manufacturing organizations joining the since dubbed ‘ventilator challenge’ and we wanted to do our bit to support the national effort. The three Gardner sites to support the manufacture of the casings would be Derby, Basildon and Broughton. We returned from the shut-down and deployed a small team of Machinists and Manufacturing Engineers in order to rapidly industrialize the parts.

In less than 4 days from receiving the order we were supplying casings at full rate into Smith & Nephew. It was an excellent team effort, fueled by the fact our employees were working on such a worthy project, and clearly demonstrated Gardner’s agility and ability to bring new products to market at a rapid pace.

The experience gained from this project, and subsequent impact on the Aerospace supply chain has given Gardner Aerospace Derby the appetite and the necessity to diversify not only into new areas of our existing sector but also to consider targeted diversification outside of Aerospace. We have since started to produce detailed parts for Seamers, a local manufacturer of hand crafted bespoke joinery solutions.

Join our virtual festival - Backing Britain Live 2020 from 17th-28th August to visit Gardner Aerospace's virtual booth. Click here to find out more and get your tickets.

Precision in Practice: Factory Tour at Gardner Aerospace in Derby

Gardner Aerospace — 22/05/2026

Members from across the Made in Group network gathered in Derby for a high-level factory tour and networking event at Gardner Aerospace - a visit framed around precision at scale, resilience by design and the realities of operating inside a highly regulated aerospace manufacturing environment. From machining and fabrication to finishing, logistics, automation and industrial services, the room reflected the breadth of the wider Made in Group network and the value of bringing manufacturing peers together in direct conversation.

Gardner’s team welcomed members with a presentation led by Darryl Malpass, Director of Programmes, and Matt Lyons, Derby Plant Operations Director, before the group moved onto the shop floor. Together, they set out the scale of the wider business, the role Derby plays within it, and the investment now reshaping the site.

Made in Group members networking at Gardner Aerospace, following a morning focused on aerospace manufacturing, investment and operational excellence.

A Global Group, Grounded in Derby

Darryl Malpass opened with the wider Gardner Aerospace picture. The group, a trusted partner to OEM’s & Aerostructure Tier 1 suppliers, operates across nine facilities in five countries - the UK, France, Poland, India and China - with Derby serving as both a manufacturing site and the group’s head office. Members heard that the business employed around 1,820 people in 2024, with headcount expected to rise towards 2,200 by the end of 2027 as build rates increase and new work comes into the business.

He also outlined Gardner’s centralised operating model, with the Integrated Logistics Centre coordinating customer demand, supply chain priorities and finished product flow across the group. That structure gives sites clearer operational focus. As Darryl put it, the aim is to let teams concentrate on “engineering and manufacturing excellence”.

The point landed clearly in a sector where quality, traceability and consistency are non-negotiable. Derby emerged not as a standalone plant, but as a key part of a wider manufacturing system shaped around control, coordination and specialist depth.

Setting the scene for the factory tour, Darryl Malpass explained how Gardner Aerospace combines global scale with specialist manufacturing capability in Derby.

Investment with Intent

Matt Lyons then brought the focus back to Derby. The site combines machining, fabrication, surface treatments, assembly and logistics, with around 150 people in manufacturing and approximately 3,500 part numbers in scope.

He also made clear the scale of current investment. “We have added 2 state of the art medium to long bed machines to our site in the last twelve months. This year we are putting a third 16 metre bed machine in.”

This multimillion investment gave the room an immediate sense of what is happening here. Gardner is materially strengthening the physical and operational capability of the Derby site. Matt explained that the civil works alone take months, requiring deep foundations, reinforced flooring and curing time before the machines can enter production.

He also spoke candidly about the challenges that sit alongside that progress, particularly in specialist skills. Welding remains one of the hardest areas to recruit for - a familiar issue across advanced manufacturing, but no less significant for that.

Matt Lyons, Derby Plant Operations Director at Gardner Aerospace, discussing the site’s investment, manufacturing capability and role within the wider group.

On the Shop Floor

If the presentation supplied the framework, the walkaround gave it weight.

Steven Birch, Matthew Payne, Greg MacArthur and Carl Fox led members through machining, fabrication, treatments, assembly and logistics, bringing clarity to a site whose complexity could easily overwhelm a visitor. Their commentary translated the operation into something practical and precise.

The first sign of change appeared before the machinery itself. Civil works for the next installation were already under way, with excavation and reinforced foundations preparing the ground for another major addition. Nothing about the investment felt cosmetic. It carried the physical seriousness of a business building for the long term.

The tour then moved to the 16-metre long-bed machine, designed specifically for stringer manufacture and equipped with automated pallet loading so one table can be prepared while another runs. It was here that the shift in Derby’s capability became most visible. As one guide put it, “It’s a massive step change for Derby.”

Nearby, members saw the six-metre machine that has widened the site’s flexibility on larger structural parts. The team explained that one component which previously took around 24 hours to machine on older equipment had, in trial conditions, been reduced to under six on the newer setup. “This gives us that innovation and able to deliver parts a lot quicker and maintain high quality standards,” they said.

The point was clear. These machines do not simply increase speed. They broaden the range of work the site can handle and change the pace at which it can deliver.

Members were given a close-up look at the major investment reshaping Gardner Aerospace’s Derby site.

Built on Process

What stood out almost as much as the machinery was the control behind it.

Members saw raw material arrive as extrusion, billet or formed stock before moving through machining, heat treatment, routing, stretch forming, chemical milling, surface treatment, painting, assembly and final logistics. Each stage carries its own checks, records and disciplines.

The clearest line of the day came during the discussion on part history and process control: “Everything is traceable.” The team explained how each part carries its own manufacturing route, with operator sign-off, material history and process records embedded throughout. If a component ever needs to be traced back through source material, process stage or operator input, the system allows that to happen.

That principle sits at the heart of the operation. In a live, commercially sensitive environment where performance is delivered under pressure and to exacting standards, control is not an added layer. It is the operating condition.

The factory tour gave members a closer look at Gardner Aerospace’s shop floor operations and advanced manufacturing capability.

Specialist Capability in Action

The walkaround also showed why Derby holds a distinct place within the wider Gardner Aerospace structure. Members saw capabilities that are unique to the site within the group, including stretch forming and chemical milling, alongside a broader mix of treatments, non-destructive testing and final assembly activity.

Even the older machinery played a role in telling that story. A press dating back to the 1950s remains in use - not as a relic, but as working equipment that still earns its place. New capability may be driving the site forward, but proven processes continue to matter where they deliver.

Taken together, the result is a facility that is expanding its capabilities while maintaining the disciplines and specialist processes that already underpin its role in the wider group.

Jason Pitt, CEO of Made in Group; Matthew Payne, Carl Fox, Matt Lyons, Steven Birch, Darryl Malpass, Greg MacArthur and Rubin Flower of Gardner Aerospace; and Ilona Pitt, Director of Made in Group, during a Derby factory tour focused on aerospace manufacturing, precision engineering and best practice sharing.

What the Visit Revealed

By the close of the morning, Made in Group members had seen more than a factory tour. They had seen a Derby site operating within a nine-facility international group, investing heavily in long-bed machining, handling thousands of part numbers, and combining specialist processes with tight control over flow, traceability and delivery. The visit offered a practical, senior-level view of how a business manages complexity day to day - from investment and supply chain control to process discipline, operational resilience and continuous improvement inside a highly regulated environment.

As Darryl Malpass put it, “The purpose for us today was to engage with potential customers and suppliers in the local vicinity who share the same common objectives as us, but also to encourage best practice sharing between manufacturers facing similar challenges.” It was a fitting summary of an afternoon built around capability, collaboration and long-term industrial focus.

Gardner Aerospace D2P Global Champion and SDS Spares Supplier

Gardner Aerospace — 26/06/2020

Gardner Aerospace are honored to have been awarded the status of “Global Champion” by Airbus for another year under the detailed parts partnership programme.

In these challenging times for the whole industry we are proud to work in partnership with Airbus to ensure that operational excellence and strategic alignment continues to be delivered. The global capabilities of Gardner Aerospace ensure that we are able to provide a local solution, whilst leveraging our global footprint.

Alongside this, we also thank Airbus for the recognition of our status as an approved, best in class, spares provider under the SDS2.0 programme.

We appreciate the trust of the Airbus team and offer our congratulations to all the other award winners.

Gardner Aerospace opens Long-Bed Machining Centre in Derby

Gardner Aerospace — 01/09/2025

Gardner Aerospace has officially opened its new Long-Bed Machining Centre at its Derby headquarters, marking a significant milestone for both the company and the wider Midlands manufacturing community. The event was attended by representatives from Made in the Midlands and officiated by Derby South MP Baggy Shanker, who praised the investment as a vote of confidence in the region’s industrial future.

For Gardner Aerospace, one of Derby’s longest-established names in engineering, the opening signals not only technological advancement but also a commitment to safeguarding skills and high-value jobs in the UK aerospace sector.

Derby’s aerospace heritage

Gardner traces its origins back to the late 19th century, when it was established as an engineering firm producing oil engines. Over time, the business pivoted towards aerospace and today operates as a global supplier of precision components and assemblies. With around 2,000 employees spread across nine sites in Europe, India and China, the company manufactures over a million parts a year for leading names such as Airbus, Rolls-Royce and Gulfstream.

The Derby facility has long been central to Gardner’s operations, serving as the headquarters as well as a hub for advanced manufacturing and logistics. The new machining centre adds another layer of capability, reinforcing Derby’s reputation as a global aerospace hub.

The Gardner name is rooted in Derby’s history, but this investment shows we are just as focused on the future.

Cutting-edge capability

The Long-Bed Machining Centre is equipped with Modig machining systems, highly advanced Swedish-built equipment capable of producing some of the largest and most complex aerospace components. Each machine represents an investment of more than $3 million, underlining the scale of Gardner’s commitment to innovation.

This expansion positions Gardner to scale alongside its customers as the aerospace industry ramps up production in the coming decade. Airbus, for example, is planning significant increases in aircraft output, and suppliers such as Gardner are expected to play a vital role in delivering on those ambitions.

Resilience in a turbulent sector

The opening also highlights Gardner’s resilience in what has been a turbulent period for aerospace. The COVID-19 pandemic led to a dramatic drop in aircraft production, but Gardner’s leadership and investors maintained support through the downturn. As a result, the company was able to recover strongly as demand returned, and today it reports annual revenues of around $250 million.

Its parts can be found across the entire aircraft, from wing ribs and fuselage components to pylons and complex assemblies. The investment in Derby is part of a broader long-term strategy to reinforce these capabilities and ensure competitiveness on a global scale.

Supporting people and place

For Derby, the investment is as much about people as it is about technology. Speaking at the opening, local MP Baggy Shanker drew on his experience in aerospace, having worked for 12 years at Rolls-Royce, to emphasise the importance of manufacturing to the region’s economy.

The ceremony included a tour of the new facility, with guests invited to see the machines in action and speak to the employees who will operate them. Many of Gardner’s staff have built decades-long careers with the business, a reflection of the company’s investment in skills and progression.

Made in the Midlands connection

Made in the Midlands, part of the Made in Group, was also represented at the event. With over 300 members across the UK, the group promotes regional manufacturing leadership and champions investment in skills, technology and collaboration. Their involvement highlighted the wider significance of Gardner’s move, not just for one company, but for the strength of British manufacturing as a whole.

Looking forward

The Derby site will not only handle production but also serve as a centre for trialling new parts and processes before they are scaled up at Gardner’s international facilities. This ensures that Derby remains at the forefront of innovation while the business benefits from a global footprint.

For Gardner Aerospace, the Long-Bed Machining Centre is a symbol of confidence and ambition: an investment in the future of the business, the city and the aerospace sector at large.

This is about investing for the future, creating the capacity, skills and resilience to ensure Gardner remains a trusted aerospace partner for the next generation.

Gardner Aerospace MIM Best Practice event

Gardner Aerospace — 11/03/2020

Leading manufacturer of aerospace detailed parts, Gardner Aerospace, recently held a MIM best practice event at their facility in Derby. Around 40 members of the Made in Group gathered to learn more about the company, its best practices and capabilities.

The event kicked off at 9 am in the company’s networking room, where members had the opportunity to network and indulge in refreshments before the presentation.

Made in Group’s Charles Addison introduced the presentation, mentioning up and coming events with Made in the Midlands and explaining how guests could make the most of their membership by attending webinars. Afterwards, James Perry, Site Director at Gardner Aerospace took to the stage to talk to members about what makes Gardner Aerospace a global manufacturer. James’ presentation particularly focused on the facility in Derby, he said:

“Gardner Aerospace Group has a revenue of around £250 Million, 16 manufacturing locations around the world and 2250 employees. The facility here in Derby also hosts Gardner’s global HQ, with a manufacturing footprint of 105,000 square feet and sales revenue of £60 Million.”

Guests also learned that around 75% of the parts manufactured at the Derby site are destined for Airbus platforms – one of the industry’s leading manufacturers of commercial aircraft.

Additionally, James went on to highlight the different components that Gardner Aerospace Derby produces for aircraft, he added:

“Most parts of an aircraft have components manufactured by Gardner Aerospace. Here at the Derby, we manufacture components for Cabin, Fuselage, Wing Aero structure, as well as some engine parts and MOD applications .”

The company has an array of vertically integrated manufacturing processes, which were also highlighted in James’ presentation. These includes heat treatment, chemical etching, stretch forming and machining. James said:

“Along with these vertically integrated processes, we are also required to have a range of accreditations. This includes AS9001 Rev D and NADCAP. We are also required to have customer specific approvals.”

To round up the presentation, James finished with a SWOT analysis, again, focusing on the site in Derby and highlighting key strengths and opportunities as well as areas for improvement.

Next on the agenda was the factory tour, where guests had a chance to see the company’s capabilities and processes first hand. One aspect of the tour saw a dedicated to 3D printing facility, where the machine is used to create customer prototypes and required fixtures.

As the event was all about the company’s best practices, it is important to mention the TPM process in the operation. This promotes operator autonomous maintenance as well as a structure around external maintenance interventions.

The event finished off with more networking and refreshments, giving guests the opportunity to ask Gardner staff any questions they may have. Mark Weymouth, Managing Director of Plus Automation, attended the event to learn more about the company and their processes. He said:

“I came today to see an organisation I had not been to before. On a business level, I have learned about the variety of manufacturing techniques used and on a personal level I have taken away the pleasure of seeing an international business in the UK.”

Gardner Aerospace is a global manufacturer with local capability, providing the aerospace industry with a flexible and resilient supply of high-quality detailed parts. Gardner Aerospace’s expertise in global logistics shortens supply chains and maximises efficiencies.

#introducing Gardner Aerospace

Gardner Aerospace — 20/11/2019

We would like to introduce Derby-based manufacturer Gardner Aerospace to Made in the Midlands. Welcome to the Made Family!

MiM member Gardner Aerospace is a global manufacturer with a local capability, supplying high-quality detailed parts to the Aerospace industry. The company's finished components range from complex and small to very large machined and sheet metal fabricated detailed parts.

With a wealth of knowledge in global logistics, Gardner Aerospace has the capability to maximise efficiencies and shorten supply chains. The company employs more than 2,200 people worldwide, with annual revenue of over $300 million.

Gardner joined Made in the Midlands to benchmark and learn more about other industry sectors. James Perry, Site Director at Gardner Aerospace Derby feels it is important for the company to be part of Made in the Midlands to diversify and learn new best practice by attending events with other members. James said:

“The Aerospace sector is cutting edge in many respects, but sometimes can be a little slow to change. I think we will really benefit from going to see other organisations and their approach to operations.”

Pictured: James Perry Site Director at Gardner Aerospace

The company wishes to diversify through Made’s directory of potential suppliers and buyers. They hope that their membership will help promote the company and the range of services they can provide due to their vast capabilities. James said:

“Being part of Made in the Midlands will assist with our supply chain and help us partner with other relevant manufacturers.”

“Here at Gardner, we have a number of vertically integrated processes including machining, fabrication/welding, treatments/paint, assembly and an internal logistics centre, giving us opportunities outside of the Aerospace sector.”

As Gardner has seen recent growth, James feels the business is in need of another platform for further growth and exposure. He said:

“As a growing company, it is important for us to have a voice and an influence within the industry as well as gaining inspiration and learning from other industry sectors.”

Talking about Made in’s year-long Backing Britain campaign, that will visit various locations across the Midlands and Yorkshire, James added:

“We are Backing Britain by recognising the challenges we have and finding a solution here at our location in Derby. We have recently invested in additive layer manufacture capability, both through capital investment and new technology learning.”

The Made in Group was created to challenge the erosion of British manufacturing and to open a channel of communication between local firms. We are proud to have industry leaders Gardner Aerospace as a Made in the Midlands member.

Want to be part of Made in the Midlands and help champion the manufacturing sector? Click the link below to find out more

https://madeinthemidlands.com/benefits

Gardner SQIP awards

Gardner Aerospace — 23/06/2025

Gardner Aerospace are proud to announce that it has received a SQIP (Supply Chain & Quality Improvement Program) award from Airbus, recognizing the step change in our quality performance over the past year. ✈️🏆

This milestone reflects the hard work of our teams across all sites including the team at Derby, with special thanks to Sebastien Berckmans, Head of Quality, for his outstanding leadership. Sebastien was asked to present Gardner's journey at the SQIP event held in Toulouse recently, at which over 60 suppliers attended.

Gardner Aerospace were also presented with the "Best Improver" award.

Thank you to Airbus for the trust and continued partnership. We’re committed to pushing quality even further.

Gardner Aerospace announces acquisition of FDM Digital Solutions Limited and creation of Gardner Technology Centre

Gardner Aerospace — 03/12/2019

Gardner Aerospace is Backing Britain

Gardner Aerospace — 03/02/2020

On Thursday 30^th January, Derby Site Director James Perry attended the Made in the Midlands Backing Britain event. The event took place at Boneham & Turner in Nottingham for a morning of presentations, factory tours and networking. James spoke about how Gardner Aerospace creates added-value to its customers by having a strong and sustainable UK presence. Over 70 manufacturing key industry figures attended making it a very successful event.