Manufacturing technology adoption programme secures funding for three more years

The Made Smarter programme to support SME manufacturing in the North-west to invest in the adoption of new digital technology and skills has secured £6.1 million funding that will allow it to continue for a further three years.

Made Smarter, which first launched as a pilot scheme in the North-west before being rolled out to other UK regions, has helped 2,500 small and medium-sized companies across the region start their digital journey by providing them with specialist advice and a digital roadmap to help them select the right approach, level of investment and tools for their business.

More than 250 of them, supported by matched funding, have invested in new technology, ranging from software and sensors to robotics and extended reality, to become more efficient, build resilience, increase their productivity and grow sustainably.

As a result, these manufacturers are set to create 1,250 new jobs, upskill almost 2,300 existing roles, deliver an additional £176 million in gross value added to the region, and help the UK meet its net zero target by 2050.

Now with a further £6.1 million funding from the government, Made Smarter can accelerate its drive to support hundreds more SME manufacturers in Stockport to embrace the industry 4.0 movement.

Alain Dilworth, Programme Manager for the Made Smarter Adoption Programme in the North West, said:

“I am delighted that the Government has recognised the extraordinary impact that Made Smarter’s adoption programme is having on digitalisation of SME businesses and the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies in the North West whilst continuing to fund our work for the next three years.

“While UK manufacturing navigated the pandemic and is working towards recovery, it is also bracing for further challenging times and economic bumps in the road ahead. Our rallying call to manufacturers is that digital technologies offer businesses opportunities to build resilience, innovate and transform. Digital tools can help manufacturers make marginal savings, set themselves apart from competitors in a volatile time, and make products quicker, affordable and more efficiently.

“This new funding means we can renew our ambition to reach out to the region’s SME manufacturers to connect them to the tools that will make an everyday difference to their businesses, build resilience and enable them to keep up with a fast-moving industry.”