WMG SME team helps change economic landscape for manufacturers

A SPECIAL team set up to support manufacturing SMEs in the West Midlands has helped to change the economic landscape since it was established 12 months ago, organisers have said.

Since being set up last summer, the WMG SME Team has helped to create six new businesses and create 75 new jobs across the region.

To mark its first anniversary the team has held a summer networking event, attended by more than 70 regional businesses.  These were accompanied by partner organisations including the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, the Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS), Growth Accelerator, Coventry City Council and Warwickshire County Council.

The new businesses were created through the delivery of the ERDF-funded support programme at the International Institute for Product and Service Innovation.

Making the announcement Dr Mark Swift, Head of SME Programmes at WMG said: “Since we opened IIPSI almost one year ago, we have been overwhelmed with the appetite for innovation in the region and have welcomed almost 500 businesses to the building. We are encouraged that our investment is reaping rewards for small businesses and the local economy.”

As well as tours of the IIPSI, those attending the event talked to some of the companies which have been able to develop new products and services through working with WMG. Some of those helped included Hospitality Umbrellas Ltd, the MAN Group and Mayridge Group Ltd. The barbeque used for the event was developed by Grillstream, a product previously the recipient of WMG and MAS support.

Steve Gaston, Business Development Director at the MAN Group said: “We were delighted to attend the event to showcase the work we do. WMG has helped a number of the organisations in the MAN group develop new products and processes and we have seen growth as a result.”

Santander Corporate & Commercial sponsored the event and a key note speech was given by Dr Richard Hutchins, Director of JLR Programmes at WMG who sits on the board of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership as well as the new WMG Academy for Young Engineers.