Made Smarter technology adoption programme backs 200th manufacturing project

The Made Smarter programme, a scheme supporting manufacturing businesses in the North-west to adopt new technology and modernise ways of working, has now provided matched funding to support over 200 projects.

Since launching in 2019, the scheme has provided 161 businesses with £3.9 million matched funding for 201 projects, leveraging £10.5 million in private sector investment into new technologies.

The programme provides support to businesses to take advantage of new and emerging technology to make their manufacturing processes more efficient, such as through 3D printing, automation and robotics, or in new integrated systems to capture and analyse data and processes. The government funded scheme, which launched as a pilot in the North-west and has since been expanded to other regions in the North and Midlands of England, is expected to deliver an additional £162.4 million to the North-west economy, creating around 1,000 new jobs and upskilling over 1,800 workers in the region.

Donna Edwards, Programme Director for the Made Smarter Adoption programme in the North West, said:

Surpassing the milestone of 200 funded technology projects is a significant achievement for the Made Smarter adoption programme in the North West – and there is much more to come.

“Industry 4.0 is the future of manufacturing. Through it, the entire sector can reap endless rewards that will ultimately lead to considerable – and sustainable – growth. But upgrading to new technologies can seem like a complex and daunting task, and SMEs can miss out on significant improvements to their operations.

“Over the last two and half years we have developed a programme of wide-ranging support which cuts through the jargon to provide honest, impartial advice to help businesses identify the most effective digital tools, innovation and skills needed to make an everyday difference to their operations.”