New manufacturing support service launch
Manufacturing businesses in Cornwall & the Isles of Scilly will benefit from advice and support to grow their business following the launch of two new support programmes.
The High Value Manufacturing Investment Programme (HVMIP) support SME manufacturers to grow and create jobs, to firms centred on the five aspects of Innovate UK’s high value manufacturing strategy. These are (1) resource efficiency, (2) manufacturing systems, (3) materials integration, (4) manufacturing processes and (5) business models.
The second scheme, the Local Manufacturing Advisory Programme (LMAP), will offer advice and grants to help manufacturing firms improve their business strategy, become more efficient, develop new products, access new markets and develop their supply chains.
The services are part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) 2014-20 and will be delivered by South West based consultancy and business support firm SWMAS Ltd, which has been supporting local manufacturers since 2002.
A key element of both services is that they provide a nominated business improvement specialist focussed on supporting manufacturers within Cornwall.
Martyn Pearson, a manufacturing specialist at SWMAS Ltd, said that “I am delighted to be appointed as the lead manufacturing specialist for Cornwall & Isles of Scilly LEP area. I’ve been supporting Cornish manufacturers for 14 years and the County has some fantastic SME businesses operating in a number of key sectors for the future of the UK economy. I’m excited to be able to provide these businesses with support and to ensure that Cornish manufacturing continues to thrive.”
SWMAS will work closely with the new Growth Hub Team, which acts as the first point-of-call for businesses seeking support, and they will be referring businesses to both programmes depending on their growth ambitions. To ensure close collaboration with the Growth Hub the two organisations have formally signed a Service Launch Agreement.
Simon Howes, Managing Director of SWMAS Ltd, said that “this agreement reaffirms the commitment of both our organisations to work closely together. In order to achieve the maximum benefit for manufacturers within Cornwall & the Isles of Scilly it is vital that our organisations have clear referral mechanisms and do not duplicate our resources.”
Stu Anderson, Operations Director for the Growth Hub said “Manufacturing is very important to our local economy and it is great to see some support specifically targeting this sector. We will be working closely with SWMAS to ensure we are meeting the needs of manufacturing businesses. ”
Manufacturing firms that are keen to engage with the new programme to explore the possibilities for growing their business should sign up to the Growth Hub and ask to be connected with SWMAS Ltd.
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Notes to the Editor
SWMAS Ltd
SWMAS Ltd is a consultancy and business support firm that has been focussed on supporting manufacturers across the South West since 2002. The firm is committed to economic development and has delivered a number of funded programmes, including the Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) and the South West Growth Fund (SWGF).
www.swmas.co.uk
Contact:
Kathryn Edwards, Marketing Executive
Tel: 07870 251694 / Kathryn.edwards@swmas.co.uk /@SWMAS_ltd
Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Growth Hub
The Growth Hub has been created in response to a common issue raised by businesses – that the range and complexity of business support available at a local and national level is far too confusing and time consuming to navigate. At its core the Growth Hub acts as a signposting service, pointing people in the right direction to get the support they need to start or grow their business.
Supported by a comprehensive website, a team of locally based experts work directly with businesses to help them identify and access support in a way that is right for them, whether that is business development, coaching, funding or something else entirely.
Contact:
Kirsty Miles, Growth Hub Communications Manager
Tel: 07399 528676 / kirsty@ciosgrowthhub.com / @CIoSGrowthHub
European Regional Development Fund
The LMAP is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and is delivered by SWMAS Ltd from April 2016 to March 2019. The project is receiving £2.6m of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. It will support around 700 SMEs including over 450 businesses receiving in-depth support and aims to create over 350 jobs in the South West and unlock £1.6m of private investment.
The HVMIP is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and is delivered by SWMAS Ltd from April 2016 to March 2019. The project is receiving £728k of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. It will support at least 90 businesses; and aims to create at least 45 jobs; and launch 70 new products to market. It will also unlock around £180k of private investment.
For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding.
The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Growth Programme
The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Growth Programme is part of the England Growth Programme, which will run from 2014-2020. Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly is the only area in England to qualify as a ‘Less Developed’ region and has an allocation of €603.7million which is split as follows:
- European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) €438 million
- European Social Fund (ESF) €166 million
The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) has an allocation of £10 million in Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, aligned with the wider England Growth Programme. www.erdfconvergence.org.uk/growth-programme
Contact:
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ITI Support Team (European Structural and Investment Funds) Tel: 01872 224325 / @GrowthProgramme