Prisk hails reasons for MAS move
THE new business development initiative set to replace the Manufacturing Advisory Service will offer a greater return on investment than the current model, Business Minister Mark Prisk has said.
Speaking during a visit to the West Midlands, Mr Prisk said the Government wanted to make the new advice service more about business development.
The new structure will see the current system based on the nine regional development agencies change to a more streamline model comprising just four centres around the UK – Wolverhampton, Leicester, London and the South West.
The service will still be known as the Manufacturing Advisory Service but it will be delivered by the Manufacturing Advisory Consortium, which comprises Grant Thornton, Pera, WM Manufacturing Consortium and MAS SW Ltd.
It will begin in January 2012 and will have £59m of funding ringfenced to be used specifically for business development.
Mr Prisk said: “We have a very strong SME manufacturing sector and we wanted to support it. We have done our best to provide the right conditions for growth.
“SMEs will now be working with people who understand the industry and the £59m of support will provide a better rate of return on investment than was previously the case, when we had nine regional centres administrating support rather than the four under the new system.”
The new service will tap into the new high value manufacturing Technology and Innovation Centre to offer manufacturers better access to new technology, enabling them to develop a new generation of cutting edge products.
“The new TIC will be an important step because it will strengthen the overall partnership between manufacturers, MAS and the universities,” said Mr Prisk.
He said it would also serve to develop new skills, while helping to retain the skilled workforce in the UK.
The new MAS will be working closely with a number of strategic partners. These include:
• The Manufacturing Technology Centre in Coventry; which will provide manufacturers with the latest university expertise
• The Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre in Sheffield, which will offer help with the latest manufacturing technologies
• The National Composites Centre in Bristol, which will provide access to global competitive technology support in composite technology
• The pioneering Warwick Manufacturing Group
• Manchester Business Solutions, the largest provider of SME business support in the North West (This will also be MAC’s principal strategic partner for the delivery of MAS in the North of England)
• Sunderland BIC, to provide support to the North East’s innovative and entrepreneurial companies
• The Business and Enterprise Group in Newcastle, which will provide supply chain support and links to UKTI programmes, and
• Angle Technology, based in Guildford.
Simon Griffiths, area director for MAS, said: “Our proven expertise in delivering advice to growing businesses combined with specialist regional, market and technical knowledge allows us to bring scale, commitment and innovation for entrepreneurship to the future of this programme.
“As the service moves to a national delivery model the consortia will continue to recognise and cater for regional needs. The service will continue to be delivered from locations across England.”
