The new Manufacturing Advisory Service will provide signposting support for industry, and builds on the work of the now defunct government agency of the same name.
150 manufacturing professionals gathered in Birmingham last night to support the launch of Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) by Made in Midlands, in partnership with The Manufacturer.
“Manufacturing contributes over 10 per cent to Britain’s GDP, and the Midlands’ contribution is even more significant,” said Lord Mike Whitby, the former Mayor of Birmingham and non-executive Chairman of Made in the Midlands, at the event.
“It’s vital that the sector continues to grow, but one of the biggest challenges the sector is currently facing is a lag between true entrepreneurship and access to financial support. The relaunch of MAS is a great step towards a strong future of growth for Britain’s manufacturing industry.”
MAS provides helpdesk services for UK manufacturers looking for more information on process improvement, R&D grants and patents, access to finance and marketing.
“It became clear that there was the technical capability and industry knowledge to bring MAS back to Britain’s manufacturers,” explained Charles Addison, Director of MAS. “The rejuvenated service will help businesses find the support and advice they need, about everything from process improvements and R&D grants to access to finance and marketing best practice.”
The relaunch of MAS followed a wide-ranging consultation with manufacturers in earlier this year, pinpointing the support that fast-growing manufacturers were most in need of in order to scale-up their success.
This resulted in the development of a ‘Manifesto for British Manufacturing’ which was delivered to Prime Minister Theresa May and Greg Clark, Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. One of the key outcomes of the Manifesto was the need for manufacturers to get involved in helping resurrect MAS.
“The UK’s industrial strategy needs to be strengthened, and businesses need to lead the way and help the sector grow,” said Jason Pitt, Chief Executive of Made in the Midlands. “This is the business community showing leadership.”
