Advanced Manufacturing: Collaboration spells success for supply chain

THE Midlands manufacturing community must embrace collaboration if it is to emerge from the Brexit process unscathed.

Partnership working will minimise the impact of supply chain risk and help firms stand a better a chance of securing new business.

The collaboration message was one of the strongest to emerge from a special debate organised by TheBusinessDesk.com, and held at the Manufacturing Technology Centre, Ansty Park.

The event – Advanced Manufacturing: Risk & Reward – was staged in association with Leamington law firm Wright Hassall and Birmingham accountants and business advisor, Moore Stephens and examined the challenges facing manufacturing SMEs working in a post-Brexit supply chain.

Supplying the answers was an esteemed panel comprising: Rowan Crozier, CEO of Birmingham-based precision components firm Brandauer, Jason Aldridge, managing director of Coventry aerospace supplier Arrowsmith Engineering, Paul Markwick, Services Director, MTC, Pete Maguire, advanced manufacturing and engineering partner at Wright Hassall and Ross Northall, partner, Moore Stephens.

Mr Crozier said while his firm was successful in its own right, its abilities were often enhanced by its membership of a network of manufacturing sub-contracting businesses in the region, the Midlands Assembly Network (MAN).

MAN offers OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers access to 800 highly skilled staff working across 15 factories in three continents.

The nine firms which comprise the network spend more than £5m on new technology and capital equipment every year and they currently export to 35 countries.

“Partnership working has paid dividend for us and will continue to do so,” said Mr Crozier.

“It restricts risk and allows us to operate as a much more effective unit.”

In addition to his main role, Mr Aldridge is also chair of the Coventry & Warwickshire Aerospace Forum; a group which he said allowed aerospace companies to share best practice and to identify new opportunities.

It works as an independent aerospace cluster with 14 members and has a combined turnover of around £90m. It has been going since 2008 and is backed by the support of Coventry City Council.

Significantly, the forum has also done many joint ventures with the MTC.

Mr Markwick said successful collaboration was key to much of the work carried out at the MTC.

“We actively try to engage with businesses so that we can support what manufacturers are trying to achieve and then support them with their goals,” he said.

But it was not just collaboration between manufacturers that was important as the panel agreed that for firms to be successful in today’s tougher economic climate then a full support structure was necessary – one that saw firms collaborating with the professional services.

Both Mr Maguire and Mr Northall said they had helped firms overcome legislative and financial hurdles on issues such as intellectual property and help securing grants.

Mr Crozier said many firms – including his own – had been put off from applying for grant support or loans because the process had been too complicated and time-consuming.

“I say this even after I was successful in securing funding,” he said.

“However, I found the whole process really awkward and I wouldn’t do it again.”

Mr Northall said this was a common criticism levelled at him by clients.

“We offer a service where we help firms with the process and many have been successful; it’s all down to successful collaboration,” he said.

Tomorrow: The Midlands Engine

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