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New support contract set to help region’s manufacturers

15/05/2009

East Midlands Development Agency (emda) has announced a further £7.5m investment over the next 5 years to support manufacturers. This investment is seen as critical in supporting manufacturers during the current economic climate and beyond.

The Manufacturing Advisory Service in the East Midlands (MAS EM) helps businesses to improve efficiency, raise productivity, exploit new ideas or solve problems. All support provided to small to medium sized businesses is either free of charge or assisted in part by the availability of grants.

According to figures just released by emda, MAS EM assisted a record number of manufacturing businesses over the last 12 months. MAS supported over 500 businesses last year and estimates that it helped businesses to create or secure 484 jobs, save about £11 million and increase profits by £8.5 million.

MAS EM will continue to provide practical, hands on support to regional manufacturers. Support includes; a telephone helpline; a free on-site review of company manufacturing operations to identify improvement actions; and help for businesses to implement and take advantage of the recommendations.

Pera Innovation Ltd based in Melton Mowbray, in partnership with East Midlands Business Ltd, has won the contract to deliver the Manufacturing Advisory Service in the East Midlands (MAS EM). There are more than 13,000 manufacturing businesses in the East Midlands. As a sector it is responsible for 23% of the total economic output of the region and almost 16% of all jobs - equating to 290,000 people.

One of the companies that has benefitted from MAS EM support is the Specialty Pharmaceutical Company, Vectura Group.  The Company, which has operations in Ruddington, Nottingham, has achieved significant financial benefits by altering the way that staff approach their work.

Janet Worrell, Operations Director at Vectura explains: “The 10-day project that the MAS EM advisers undertook had a significant impact on our bottom line immediately, cutting down the time taken to carry out one test by nearly a quarter and reducing wasted time spent on activities such as moving between the different labs to find the correct equipment to use, waiting for equipment to become available and filling in unnecessary paperwork.”

“But it’s had far greater benefits beyond just the substantial cost savings, signalling the beginning of a cultural shift for our company.”

The MAS EM adviser that worked with Vectura trained the team on some of the lean tools they could use to make improvements, which included reorganising and managing the work space and work flow to improve productivity.

As a result of the support that Vectura received, within just six months, they had cut down the processing time taken to undertake tests by nearly 25%. The company was also making more efficient use of the testing facilities and staff morale improved as a result of having cleaner and tidier workbenches.

Mike Carr, emda’s Executive Director of Business Services believes that MAS EM is an invaluable part of the business support offer. Speaking about the service, he said: “MAS EM provides an invaluable service for manufacturing businesses in the region. At this time, it is more important than ever that manufacturers are able to access the support they need to survive the recession and to be in the best position to develop and grow when the upturn arrives.”

For more information about how MAS EM can help your business, call 0845 2707620 or visit www.mas-em.org.uk

ENDS

For further information please contact Nick King Media and PR Manager on 0115 988 8375; email: nickking@emd.org.uk

About emda
 
East Midlands Development Agency (emda) is one of nine Regional Development Agencies in England, set up in 1999 to bring a regional focus to economic development.

Ten years on, independent evaluation shows emda has:
• Had a significant impact on the region’s economy
• Generated economic benefits that substantially outweigh its overall costs
• Put back over £9 of economic output (or GVA) into the regional economy for every £1 it spends
• Produced more than £1 billion in economic benefits per year
• A wider impact on people, places and businesses in the East Midlands that cannot be captured by figures alone.

emda is committed to supporting the region through the current downturn and has put in place a range of measures to provide real help during these challenging times. 

Over the long term, emda’s aim is to deliver the 2006 Regional Economic Strategy (RES) by working in partnership with public, private and voluntary organisations.  The RES highlights the themes of productivity, sustainability and equality and sets out key priorities until 2020 to ensure the vision for ‘a flourishing region’ can be achieved. 

For more details visit www.emda.org.uk