Lockheed Martin UK SME Network Expands to 181 Companies

Lockheed Martin, the global deterrence technology company, today announced a 37% year-on-year increase in its UK small and medium enterprise supplier network (SMEs), as 130 of 181 SME partners in the UK gathered for the company’s fourth annual SME conference, known as SMEUNITE®.

The conference focused this year on supply chain resiliency, sustainability and partnership, underscores Lockheed Martin’s long-standing commitment to supporting British industry, aligning with the UK Government’s Defence Industrial Strategy, and underpinning the strong transatlantic relationship between the UK and U.S, which sustains jobs and delivers economic benefits to both partners.

“Sustainability and supply chain collaboration are no longer optional, they are essential for success in the deterrence sector,” said Emlyn Taylor, chief operating officer, Lockheed Martin UK. “SMEUNITE® helps provide our 181 small and medium sized suppliers with the tools to lead, adapt and grow. Welcoming 49 new SMEs this year shows how fast our network is scaling.”

This year’s conference provided attendees with tools and knowledge to navigate the evolving demands of sustainable defence procurement in the UK and beyond. Participants engaged directly with Lockheed Martin personnel to explore environmentally responsible solutions and gain strategic insights.

Support tools included SMEUNITE® Insights, a series of short training videos launched by Lockheed Martin to provide its UK SME partners with expertise on critical business topics in a time-efficient format.

Supporting the UK’s national defence and security for more than 80 years, Lockheed Martin UK is an Anglo-American company building sovereign deterrence capabilities and sustaining more than 24,000 British jobs today.

With 817 direct suppliers in the UK, Lockheed Martin is directly supporting UK industrial resilience through economic growth, job creation, and an average spend of £1.9 billion with British businesses each year. The company has 23 sites spread across the UK, engaged with the design, manufacturing and sustainment of defence and security systems used by the UK and its allies in NATO, Europe and beyond.