A LEADING engineering firm from Cumbria has achieved highly acclaimed accreditation which recognises it as a respected supplier to the defence industry.

Engineering experts Forth has gained the renowned Joint Supply Chain Accreditation Register (JOSCAR) accreditation which identifies the company as a fully compliant supplier for several defence companies and major organisations operating throughout the UK.

Gaining a place on the JOSCAR register, a central list of approved suppliers which are used by several major defence organisations such as BAE Systems, the Ministry of Defence, Rolls Royce, Airbus and NATS, is strictly by invite only and requires the successful completion of a rigorous qualification process.

By achieving the accreditation, Forth joins an elite group of companies in the supply chain which have been handpicked by some of the most established defence organisations across the UK.

Tony Sneesby, the Operations Manager at Forth’s Barrow-in-Furness base, said: “Having this JOSCAR accreditation gives organisations we work with in the defence industry - such as Cumbrian business BAE Systems - the confidence that Forth meets all the required standards to work in a highly regulated environment.

“Forth has been working successfully in the nuclear industry for more than 20 years and we are known for our quality standards and compliance. We also have a proven ability to respond quickly and use our vast knowledge and experience to find solutions to challenges in a range of industries.

“The seal of approval from JOSCAR means that our current and future customers can have extra confidence in Forth and our products as we have the capacity and technical ability to deliver on projects of this scale.

“Many of these organisations have strict security requirements which are

becoming more and more important to clients of all sizes, therefore being associated with JOSCAR helps to inform our customers that we meet these high levels of protection for their systems and data.”

Forth, established in 2001, is an award-winning advanced technology solutions business with bases at Maryport, Cleator Moor and Barrow-in-Furness. It also has a trade counter facility and one of Europe’s largest deep recovery water testing pools at its headquarters in Maryport.