Manufacturing Advisory Service and GrowthAccelerator absorbed into new Business Growth Service

THE Manufacturing Advisory Service is to undergo a change in structure under new plans announced by the Government.

The organisation, which supports the development of manufacturing firms around the UK, is to be amalgamated into the new Business Growth Service, effectively a one-stop-shop support body for industry.

Details of the change in approach, which come into effect in the New Year, have been outlined by Chancellor George Osborne.

The new Business Growth Service brings GrowthAccelerator, the Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) and schemes from the Intellectual Property Office (IP Audits) and the Design Council (Design Mentoring) into a single service.  

Export support will continue to be provided by UK Trade & Investment and UK Export Finance. The service will be closely linked to InnovateUK and the British Business Bank.

It will provide tailored packages of support to help businesses develop new ideas, improve leadership and management skills, exporting and accessing finance.
So far as manufacturing firms are concerned, the restructure is unlikely to see too much change on the model already in place.

MAS will continue to support firms in the sector but will operate under the auspices of the BGS. MAS advisors will continue to work with firms to develop new business opportunities and products. It will also advise on streamlining production processes and utilising supply chains.

Business and Enterprise Minister Matt Hancock said:  “Small businesses told us the support available was too disjointed so we have joined it together through our new Business Growth Service, which will provide a tailored package of support to thousands of firms each year.”  

He said that during the past three years both GrowthAccelerator and MAS had achieved some notable successes.

Firms supported by GrowthAccelerator are currently growing over four times faster than the average UK SME. The organisation works with around 19,000 businesses.

Since January 2012 MAS has helped over 17,000 manufacturers improve productivity and address barriers to growth in both individual firms and within supply chains.

Combined, the two services are on target to deliver at least £3.4bn of economic growth (GVA) and create 78,000 new jobs.

One firm which has benefited from the joined-up approach is Sheffield-based PCT Metalmex. Tapping into support from GrowthAccelerator and MAS, the engineering firm has seen turnover exceed £5m for the first time.

The company, which provides pressed components, profiling and fabrication services, had been working with MAS for numerous years on lean manufacturing, supplier matching and re-shoring a new contract that was about to be delivered overseas.

James Harding-Terry, Managing Director, said: “When you are a growing business you look for every bit of expertise you can find and I’ve been delighted with the support we’ve received.  We had specialist manufacturing assistance to start off with followed by help to deliver our three-year strategic plan.

“This involved leadership and management training for ten of our staff and signposting to other funding opportunities. The end result is an increase in sales and putting in place the platform for 30% growth in 2015 and the recruitment of more apprentices.

“The joined-up approach really made a difference to us so I’m delighted to see the introduction and sizable backing of the Business Growth Service.”

The Business Growth Service is aimed at businesses with the potential to improve and grow, based in England, with fewer than 250 employees and a turnover of less than £40m.

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