£10m support programme launched to boost manufacturing SMEs

SME manufacturers in the West Midlands are in line to benefit from a £10m support initiative.

The £9.7m Manufacturing Growth Programme (MGP), which is funded by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and delivered by Economic Growth Solutions (EGS), is promising to fill the void left by the demise of the Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS).

It will provide access to specialist assistance to help firms grow and improve, much is the same way as MAS used to operate.

This will be achieved through a 19-strong network of experienced manufacturing growth managers, access to industry specialists and the opportunity to apply for grants of up to £3,500.

Support can be used for leadership and management training, R&D, lean manufacturing, productivity and capacity, quality systems and supply chain development. It is open to all SME manufacturers based in the West Midlands.

EGS is headed by the former West Midlands area director of both the Business Growth Service and MAS, Lorraine Holmes.

She said: “Since MAS was abruptly axed at the end of 2015, manufacturers have not had access to a support programme that is tailored to their exact requirements and delivered by people who know the sector.

“This has all changed with the official launch of MGP and we now have funding in place to help firms tackle operational issues, make the most of new opportunities and boost the skills of their workforce.”

The programme is being delivered until March 2019 and it is now trying to attract manufacturers looking for support.

MGP’s network of growth managers will be the first point of call for firms. They in turn, will   implement a strategic business review and develop an action plan for how the business can move forward.

The programme, which offers grants of 35% of the total project cost, is also working closely with a number of the region’s LEPs and their respective Growth Hubs to ensure manufacturers are directed to other initiatives which can help them.

“We have spent the last three months getting our full team in place, but even during that stage we have started to roll-out the initiative, working with more than 300 companies already,” said Ms Holmes.

“These projects have created in excess of 400 new jobs and, over the course of the two years, we believe we’ll help to generate thousands more. Industry has withstood a lot of economic turmoil and come through the other side, now we’re here to help them maximise the most of new opportunities.”