Technology adoption programme secures £230,000 to support more SME manufacturers in the North West

SME manufacturers in the North West are set to benefit from an additional £230,000 in funding for the region’s Made Smarter technology adoption programme.

The additional funding the programme in the North West from the Department of Business and Trade will support a further 10 SME manufacturers to access its support to adopt new technologies into their processes, such as 3D printing, sensors and robotics. The funding follows a Budget commitment of £16 million to support the Made Smarter programme to expand to all regions of England from April 2025 to help boost productivity, create high value jobs and support the manufacturing sector to decarbonise. Having first been piloted in the North West in 2018, the programme has since already expanded to the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber, the West Midlands and the East Midlands regions.

Alain Dilworth, Made Smarter programme manager, said:

“The majority will go towards supporting our strong pipeline of companies to adopt new digital tools to accelerate their digital transformation. 

“The opportunity to be able to support more manufacturing and engineering SMEs is something we relish, and we urge those companies who have yet to make contact with us to do so.”

Since launching in the North West almost seven year ago, the Made Smarter programme has supported 330 companies to secure over £7 million in grants and invest in 379 technology products backed by £18 million of their own money. Its work is forecast to create more than 1,700 jobs, upskill 3,200 existing workers and boost the economy by £267 million over the next three years.

Donna Edwards, director of Made Smarter’s North West Adoption Programme, said:

“This additional funding package is testament to the positive impact that Made Smarter North West is having.

“Our programme has been designed specifically for manufacturers, offering specialist advice to help them select the right approach, level of investment and tools to grow and build resilience.”

“As we enter our seventh year, we are more determined than ever to reach more SME manufacturers across the sector to talk to them about the benefits of introducing new technologies and new digital skills.”