In the first half of 2025, ADS has continued to deliver high-impact B2B supply chain development engagements, connecting our members directly with major customers and helping to unlock new business opportunities across the UK’s aerospace, defence, space and security sectors.

As part of our broader business development offer, these engagements are designed to help prime and tier 1 companies identify and fill capability gaps—while providing a structured platform for suppliers to showcase their expertise in focused, one-to-one sessions.

Making Meaningful Matches

At the heart of each event is a matchmaking process led by the ADS team. We work closely with buyers to define their current and future requirements, and then match these to member capabilities drawn from detailed applications. This ensures every B2B meeting—typically 15–20 minutes—is focused, relevant, and tailored to real business needs.

Suppliers not only gain insights into future programmes and procurement strategies, but also receive direct guidance on how to integrate into key customer supply chains.

2025 Highlights So Far

  • DPRTE Meet the MOD & Delivery Partners – 115+ Meetings facilitated
  • Celebration of NATEP – Meet the Buyer with Boeing – Enabling 1-2-1 meetings with Senior Procurement & Supply Chain representatives
  • MBDA Meet the Company event in Paris – Supporting 15 UK and 15 French companies to engage
  • Air Cap Symposium – 52 Bilateral meetings with Front Line Command
  • Sustainable Skies World Summit – Enabling connections through the Business Connections Exchange
  • Paris Air Show – ADS Discovery Tours – Supporting engagement with UK Primes and international customers & partners
 

Tailored Formats for Different Needs

In addition to ad-hoc requests from Customers to introduce them to new suppliers on urgent requirements, ADS offers three core engagement formats as part of our supply chain development programme:

  • Meet the Buyer: Multi-buyer events built around predefined capability requirements, enabling high-value, one-to-one meetings between buyers and suppliers
  • Business Connections Exchange: Informal, delegate-led networking opportunities at key ADS and Farnborough International events—helping members build relationships across the supply chain
  • Meet the Company: Bespoke, single-buyer events, often aligned to specific programme needs or urgent sourcing challenges—particularly valuable for international trade missions or new market entries

Looking Ahead…

Key engagement opportunities in the second half of this year include, but are not limited to:

  • DSEI – Multiple customer discovery tours, including Front Line Commands and Primes, of ADS Pavilion exhibitors. Details on these to be released in the coming weeks, alongside information on the “Doing Business with US Primes” event on the 8 September
  • ADS Toulouse Annual Event B2Bs – Supporting engagement with French-based Primes
  • Advanced Engineering – 2-day Meet the Buyer programme. Supplier registration details to be shared with members in early August. Last year, ADS facilitated 160+ meetings
  • Dubai Air Show engagements for exhibiting members
  • Multiple Meet the Company Events with UK Primes

Keep an eye out on our Events page for more details of these business development opportunities.

If you’re interested in participating in an upcoming event—or would like to discuss how your company could benefit from our B2B supply chain development offer—get in touch with the ADS Business Development team today.