Manufacturers urged to explore trade links with US counterparts

WEST Midlands manufacturers are being urged to participate in a new trade mission to increase exports to the United States.

Carl Perrin, director of the Coventry-based Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (AME), will lead the eight-day visit to the US and believes it is an ideal opportunity to explore a new market, learn more about best practice manufacturing and discover possible business opportunities.

Organised by Coventry University, the tour of the Mid-West will include behind the scenes visits to high-profile manufacturing companies including John Deere, Xtrac, RenewAire and Subaru of Indiana.

Delegates will also receive advice from UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) on exporting to the US, a detailed market briefing from the Chicago Consulate and access to Purdue College of Technology and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

“We are heading to this area of the US because it has a high concentration of advanced engineering companies in the agricultural machinery, energy, fabrication motorsport, medical devices and automotive sectors, demonstrating ‘good practice’ and facing challenges similar to those of the UK and Europe,” said Perrin.

“The itinerary is looking extremely impressive, especially the number of companies that are opening the doors to us and who are happy to share their experiences.”

There will be a strong focus on implementing build-to-order strategies, reducing process development cycles and developing supply chain relationships, as well as an exploration of how the Mid-West is addressing its skills challenge.

“The US is one of the UK’s biggest export markets and I can only see that increasing…now is the time for a select group of West Midlands manufacturers to get ahead of the rest,” added Perrin

The Advanced Manufacturing Trade Mission – due to take place between May 17-25 – is open to SMEs and large manufacturers and costs £2,995+vat, which includes all flights, accommodation, a welcome reception and group dinner.

Members of the delegation will also receive tickets to see the world famous Indy 500 motor race.

Perrin said one of his roles at AME was to play a small part in increasing the UK’s global competitiveness. Therefore, being invited to lead the visit was an important element of that brief.

“It is rare for this many world class businesses and academic institutions to give UK firms so much time…it really is an opportunity not to be missed,” he said.

The IAME, a collaboration between Coventry University and Unipart Manufacturing Group, is pioneering a new higher education model for manufacturing degrees, offering a blend of innovative activity-led teaching, product development and research.

Its dedicated 1,700m² manufacturing and R&D space is now officially open and home to the first cohort of 22 undergraduates and five postgraduate students.

The hub houses over £2m of state-of-the-art automation, joining technology and testing equipment and – alongside Unipart’s existing production lines. It will play a key role in delivering multi-million pound research projects to accelerate zero prototyping, explore lightweight exhausts and a new fuel rail system.

For further details of the trade mission firms should visit www.coventry.ac.uk/usmission