Fit For Nuclear (F4N) is a unique service to help UK manufacturing companies get ready to bid for work in the nuclear supply chain.
F4N lets companies measure their operations against the standards required to supply the nuclear industry – in new build, operations and decommissioning – and take the necessary steps to close any gaps.
F4N has been developed by the Nuclear AMRC with the support of its top tier partners, including nuclear new build developers and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. These industry leaders are using F4N to identify potential companies for their own supply chains.
We are currently working with stakeholders to further develop the F4N programme and provide additional support to UK manufacturers. We work with NOF Energy and the Energy Industries Council to help their members from across the energy sector to become Fit For Nuclear.
We are also working with the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult through the Fit 4 Offshore Renewables (F4OR) programme to help UK manufacturers enter the growing market for offshore wind power.
Who can take part?
As well as the Nuclear AMRC’s core area of high-precision mechanical engineering, F4N also covers companies which can supply control and instrumentation, electricals, and other manufactured components for nuclear plant construction and operation, as well as the specialised requirements of decommissioning.
Participating companies range from contract manufacturers with no nuclear experience aiming to take a first step into the sector, to established suppliers wanting to benchmark their position and drive business excellence.
F4N is designed for businesses with 10 or more employees or with a turnover of £1.6 million and upwards, as the principles of the programme are more difficult to apply to microenterprises. Microenterprises with the potential to offer a niche product or service to the civil nuclear sector should still get in touch to discuss how F4N can help.
If you have any questions about the F4N programme or would like an informal discussion about whether it is right for your business, contact the team at f4n@namrc.co.uk.
To start your F4N journey, go to: f4n.namrc.co.uk
Impact
Around 1,000 companies have now completed the online F4N assessment, with most receiving ongoing support and development from the team. Around 130 are currently granted F4N after putting their action plan into practice – see our directory of F4N companies for details and case studies, or F4N Connect for a fully searchable database of nuclear-ready suppliers.
To date, participating companies have reported that the F4N programme has helped them win more than 1,000 nuclear contracts, worth over £77 million total; as well as more than 19,000 non-nuclear contracts, worth over £1.2 billion total.
For more on participating companies’ experiences of the programme and thoughts on its benefits and challenges, download the latest F4N impact survey.
