Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) once again proved to be one of the most important events in the defence calendar. With more than 45,000 visitors across four days, it offered an unparalleled opportunity to engage with customers, strengthen relationships, and explore new business opportunities.
STI was well represented by colleagues from both Hook and Poynton, with the team holding over 100 customer meetings, from long-standing partners to new contacts across the defence and aerospace sectors.
The week was led and organised by Vanessa Mercer, whose coordination ensured a focused and productive presence throughout the event. Our meetings with major global primes and tier-two manufacturers, including BAE Systems, Airbus, Lockheed Martin, MBDA, Thales, Rheinmetall, Babcock, General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman, and Anduril, helped reinforce how much STI has evolved to meet the needs of the modern defence supply chain.
As Rich Mears, Sales Director, reflected:
“Joining STI earlier this year, DSEI was an excellent opportunity to represent the business, meet our customers, and see first-hand how our progress is being recognised across the industry. The feedback was clear, STI’s capability, responsiveness, and reliability are making a real impact.”
The focus for the team was not only to strengthen existing relationships but also to qualify future opportunities, understanding where primes and tier-twos are manufacturing in the UK and how STI can best position itself to support those programmes.
Events like DSEI form a key part of STI’s commercial strategy, helping to showcase our value, align with customer priorities, and highlight the contribution of UK-based manufacturing to national defence capability.
Thanks go to Tim Hair, Colin Whitworth, James Mansfield, Ben Eastwood, Jenny Alexander, Matt Timms, Stu Walker, Catherine Bliss, and of course Vanessa Mercer for representing STI so well throughout the week.