North West Manufacturers hail transformational impact of Made Smarter technology grants

The initiative recently funded its 400th technology adoption project, unlocking investment in advanced digital technologies such as sensors, robotics, 3D printing, and automation.

This major milestone was reached after 25 more companies secured up to £20,000 each in grants to help introduce game-changing digital tools and systems.

Businesses are reporting a wide range of benefits. Some highlight productivity and efficiency gains; others cite job creation and workforce upskilling. Several are achieving new levels of innovation and capability, while others are focused on sustainability and smarter systems integration.

Mark Robertson, Managing Director, said: "Made Smarter provided a grant towards an orbital robotic welder to help expand our service offering and unlock new opportunities in the food and beverage sector.
 We anticipate that this investment in automation will create one additional job and has already enabled us to upskill three welders.
 The new equipment has been deployed on recent projects, and its quality and repeatability have been very well received by our existing clients, clearly making a positive impact on our business."

Joel Parkinson, Managing Director, said: “We’ve built our reputation on crafting beautiful, bespoke products by hand. But as demand has grown, we recognised the need to evolve. With support from Made Smarter, we’ve been able to invest in a CNC drilling and routing machine and advanced design software, bringing a digital element into our process for the first time.
 This technology hasn’t replaced our craftsmanship – it has enhanced it. The new system speeds up the dull, repetitive elements of production, such as manufacturing carcasses and sheet material processing, while allowing us to preserve the hands-on approach and design flexibility our clients value in our frontages and finishes.
 It means we can now produce the same work in a third of the time, increasing capacity and throughput with a greater degree of accuracy without compromising on quality. It’s a big step forward that will help us grow the business, create new jobs, and upskill our current team.”

Scott Harasyn, Founder, said: "Our bubble tea kits are a dynamic, ever-evolving product which brings fun and flavour to homes across the UK. Thanks to support from Made Smarter, we're now investing in automation which will unlock the next stage of our growth – enabling us to not only continue innovating with exciting new products, but to scale our operation internationally."

Made Smarter provided a grant of £20,000 towards a project to invest £60,000 in a state-of-the-art UV printer.

The company forecasts that the investment will create two new jobs and upskill two existing roles.

Tom Bunner, Managing Director, said:
 “For almost half a century, Eveque has been committed to innovation, learning and safety to manufacture some of the most exciting and original products around. In recent years, we have transformed our manufacturing capabilities using CAD/CAM.
 Made Smarter supported us in developing a clear and practical strategy. Our latest investment is a state-of-the-art UV printer. We’re now continuing to expand our manufacturing capabilities, building on that strong foundation to support future growth."

Made Smarter provided a grant towards a project to invest in a Formlabs Form 4 3D printer and xTool P2S laser cutter.

Daniel Isler, Technical Director, said: "Working with Made Smarter has allowed D Squared to deploy new technologies and upgrade existing ones much sooner than would otherwise have been possible. The implementation of cloud-based collaboration tools, IoT-enabled process tracking, and integrated fire safety features will further improve productivity by allowing us to leave machines such as our 3D printers and laser cutter running unattended. This will, most importantly, enable us to protect and create skilled employment in the LCR while ensuring we remain competitive with rivals both nationally and internationally.”

The business has secured a £20,000 grant from Made Smarter to invest in data and systems integration technology.

Tim Wrinch, Managing Director, said: “Investing in MIE Trak Pro ERP software gives us the platform we need to support our growth ambitions. This technology will help us work smarter, create new roles, and upskill 15 of our existing team members, ensuring we have the skills and capacity to meet future demand. It’s an exciting step forward for our business.”

Michael Green, Managing Director of Red Open Limited, part of RED Group, said:  “This investment at RED Open is a big step forward in how we operate. By integrating smarter digital tools, we’re gaining real-time insight into production, quality and delivery – which means fewer delays, tighter control, and a better overall experience for our clients. We’re committed to service delivery excellence, and this support from Made Smarter is helping us raise the bar.”

A company spokesperson said: “With the support of Made Smarter we have been able to invest in an all-in-one enterprise system that will bring a new level of automation to our operations, connecting orders, manufacturing, logistics and shipping.
“This will enhance productivity and streamline operations, allowing capacity for growth which will create new jobs.”

Dave Hicks, Managing Director, said: “The aim of this investment was to strengthen the capacity of our sales, marketing, and warehousing teams in readiness for growth.

“The Made Smarter team was incredibly helpful, guiding us towards the right options to improve our systems and processes. Since implementing the new software, we’ve seen a dramatic improvement in stock control and warehouse management. We also have far better visibility of our sales pipeline, with improved documentation and traceability. Without the funding support, we may not have been able to consider software with these capabilities.”

The company forecasts that the data and systems integration investment will support a growth strategy which aims to create 8 new jobs and upskill 58 existing roles.

Matthew Birtwell, Managing Director, said: "Being part of the Made Smarter programme has come at exactly the right time for Birtwell & Co as we embark on a major phase of digital transformation.

“The new technology will give us real-time visibility across operations, streamline our workflows, and dramatically reduce manual administration. This will not only boost productivity but also free up our team to focus more on customer engagement and continuous improvement. Importantly, the system will also help us reduce waste by improving accuracy, minimising errors, and enabling better resource planning across every stage of production.

“We’re extremely grateful for the support and guidance we’ve received throughout the process, particularly from Claire Scott, whose advice and encouragement have been invaluable. Made Smarter’s involvement has helped us move forward with confidence and accelerate vital changes that will future-proof the business in a highly competitive and evolving market."