Manufacturing and engineering membership body, Made in the Midlands has launched the Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) as a dedicated online help desk and signposting service to support Britain’s manufacturing industry and help businesses access information they need in order to grow.
A launch event, attended by over 150 leading Midlands manufactures, saw the former government initiative relaunched as an advisory body to help businesses find the support and advice they need about everything from process improvements and research and development (R&D) grants, to access to finance and marketing best practice.
Speaking at the launch, Lord Mike Whitby, non-executive chairman of Made in the Midlands, said: “Manufacturing contributes over 10 per cent to Britain’s GDP, and the Midlands’ contribution is even more significant. 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.
“It’s essential that we share experience and that the financial sector becomes more transparent about why funding may be denied or take so long to be granted.
MAS is sponsored by financial institutions such as the Royal Bank of Scotland, Baldwins Accountants, ART Business Loans and Finance Birmingham, aims to strengthen UK manufacturing growth at a time when government funding has been reduced.
“This is the business community showing leadership,” said Jason Pitt, chief executive of Made in the Midlands. “At times of political uncertainty, as we have seen in recent years, this is vital.
“The UK’s industrial strategy needs to be strengthened, and businesses need to lead the way and help the sector grow.
“People will ask how we, as non-manufacturers, dared to launch MAS — but taking action to support our members is better than doing nothing. This launch is us working with a handful of sponsors and members of Made in the Midlands and Made in Yorkshire. Just imagine how this will grow, and what we can achieve, collectively?”
You can find out more about MAS here.
