Collaborative approach best for growth, manufacturers told

MIDLAND manufacturing collective MAN is using a major trade event in Birmingham to highlight its successful growth strategy to other firms looking to increase their turnover.

Representatives from the nine-strong collective will be attending the Subcon 2011 event at the National Exhibition Centre today to explain how its collaborative approach can offer customers cost savings, added value and security of supply.

MAN – the Midlands Assembly Network – is a unique group of manufacturing businesses that work independently and in collaboration with partners to provide a bespoke engineering service covering mechanical, electrical and engineering processes.

It has enjoyed a record year after its ability to offer a single source solution attracted orders of more than £10m from numerous domestic and international customers in the automotive, aerospace, construction, electronics, medical and renewables fields.

The group, which comprises Advanced Chemical Etching, Alucast, Barkley Plastics, Brandauer, FW Cables, PP Electrical Systems, SMT Developments, Westley Engineering and  Wrekin Circuits, believes the collaborative approach is a successful business model for firms looking to increase their orders.

Show organisers have invited MAN chairman Gerry Dunne to deliver a seminar tomorrow on the collective’s work.

“We offer the best of both worlds for the customer. One central point of contact to nine firms,  state-of-the-art factories and a combined 600-strong highly skilled workforce with expertise spanning from aluminium castings and precision pressings to PCB manufacture, chemical etching and cable harnesses,” said Mr Dunne.

“Clients are using us because they like the fact we are easy to deal with. We also save them money through a single sourcing strategy and importantly, have the technical and prototyping capability to add value at every stage of the design and production process.”

Its approach has recently seen it secure a £200,000 contract to supply five engine parts to the new range of Norton Motorcycles.

Alucast, which operates an award-winning foundry in Wednesbury, has used its innovation in aluminium alloys and technical design to manufacture the rocker, sprocket, oil filter, left and right side engine covers for the world famous motorcycle company.

“This is a major contract win for us and we are delighted to be using our expertise to help a great British brand return once again to its iconic status,” said the firm’s managing director Tony Sartorius.

“There are a lot of exciting plans at Norton and there will definitely be opportunities where other members of MAN could be involved in helping produce parts for the expanding range of motorbikes currently being planned.”