In the six years Made Smarter has been offering its support to North West SME manufacturers, we’ve marked many milestones. This month we found another reason to celebrate after agreeing to fund another tranche of technology projects.
It means that to date our funding panel - which comprises leading figures from across the worlds of business, government and academia - has given the green light to £7M in grants.
Manufacturers from across sectors have then invested £18M of their own money to accelerate their digital transformation. That means together we have invested £25M into technology and digital tools.
Now that’s a milestone to remember.
These projects are having a tremendous impact on individuals, businesses and the sector. They continue to boost efficiency, productivity and growth, all while shifting the dial on creating a more sustainable approach to manufacturing.
Made Smarter backed projects are responsible for creating 1,729 new jobs, upskilling a further 3,179 existing roles, and increasing the region’s GVA by a staggering £267M since the programme began.
Offering businesses access to finance of up to £20,000 is part of the Made Smarter approach to business support that tackles the key barriers preventing manufacturers from adopting technology: time, knowledge and capital.
Not all manufacturers we engage with need, or are ready for, new technology. Hundreds have reaped the rewards of intensive support including expert, impartial technology advice and digital transformation workshops to help them take their first steps to identify practical solutions to overcome business challenges. Meanwhile, more than 150 have embedded new digital skills into their operations through our leadership programmes, internships and other training opportunities.
Celebrating milestones is important. It permits my fantastic team to take stock of the achievement and then commit to improving the services we offer to continue the Made Smarter mission.
For those SMEs we have engaged with the programme so far, I would like to thank them for trusting our team to help make those changes in a sustainable, impactful way. For those who haven’t started their digital transformation, we are happy to start the conversation about how we can support you. A good starting point is our free-to-download white paper about why Made Smarter was started, the impact it has already had in the North West, and our vision for the future.
Download the full whitepaper here.