Automotive supply chain set for £45m funding boost

AUTOMOTIVE suppliers in the UK are to share in funding worth £45.5m. The move will create almost 1,000 new jobs and safeguard a further 1,600 in the supply chain.

The funding is being supplied through the Birmingham-based Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative (AMSCI), following a successful bid to government by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

The SMMT bid, submitted on behalf of the sector, has delivered £13.3m in government funding, which leverages £32.2m of industry contributions.

AMSCI is a funding competition run through the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and is designed to improve the global competitiveness of UK advanced manufacturing supply chains. The Long Term Advanced Supply Chain (LTASC) project will provide funding for a four year programme of support for research and development, skills training and capital investment among 38 UK suppliers. It will create nearly 1,000 jobs and safeguard 1,600 existing jobs throughout the supply chain.

The programme is designed to boost the international competitiveness of UK automotive suppliers using an innovative approach to addressing Quality, Cost, Delivery (QCD), R&D capability, management and employee development. Many aspects of the programme will be delivered by SMMT Industry Forum, which supports manufacturing companies in the UK and abroad in delivering maximum operational performance.

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said: “The UK has a thriving UK automotive industry but we must continue to grow and develop our supply base. This SMMT-driven programme will allow the supply chain to increase skills, R&D capability and manufacturing facilities, and will make UK-based companies more successful in competing for both local and overseas business.”

The project has had the full support of the Automotive Council, which brings together government, the automotive industry and other stakeholders to ensure the ongoing competitiveness of this critical sector. The LTASC programme is one of the key workstreams of the Automotive Council’s Supply Chain Group.

Dave Allen, chair of Supply Chain Group of the Automotive Council, added: “The UK automotive supply chain has some real opportunities for growth in the coming years and this programme will really benefit those looking to improve their competitiveness. This is at the heart of the Automotive Strategy as we look to cement the sector’s role as a significant driver of economic growth.”