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Supply chain opportunities at RAF Lakenheath

Businesses in and around West Suffolk are being invited to take part in an event to see how a multi-million-pound contract to bring the cutting-edge F-35 Fighter Jet to RAF Lakenheath could also benefit them.

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The Kier-VolkerFitzpatrick joint venture (KVF35) has been awarded a £160 million contract to deliver new infrastructure to ready RAF Lakenheath for the first permanent home in Europe of the US Air Force F-35 Fighter Jet.

The joint venture is inviting the local supply chain to attend a free ‘Meet the Buyer’ event on Wednesday 17 April at West Suffolk College in Bury St Edmunds from 8:00am to 2:00pm.

The event will provide the opportunity to meet face-to-face with key team members from the KVF35 delivery team and Tier 1 suppliers, West Suffolk Council, West Suffolk College, New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership and Suffolk Chamber of Commerce.

 

Paul Crossland, KVF35 construction director at RAF Lakenheath, said: “This major infrastructure project has led to us create a number of exciting new opportunities for people and businesses across the region. Throughout the duration of the development all partners involved are looking to create new jobs for the local community and procure at least 40 per cent of the supply chain within a 75-mile radius.

“The Meet the Buyer event provides an excellent opportunity for people and businesses with the right skills to meet us and start to understand the scope of opportunities available throughout the build. At the height of construction, we expect there will be up to 700 people on site and therefore, a strong local supply chain will be crucial to the success of the project.”


Main construction works are set to begin in summer 2019, following extensive enabling works, ready for arrival of the aircraft in late 2021.