The ‘A-Team’ set to deliver a £3.7m cash boost for the West Midlands’ auto supply chain

Funding boost for auto supply chain

[ClickPress, Thu Jul 12 2007] Automotive suppliers in the West Midlands have been given a further boost today, with the unveiling of an expert team of advisers to deliver up to £3.7m in business development and capital grants.

Accelerate, the Birmingham Chamber-managed supply chain initiative for the region, is looking to help a further 340 companies this year to improve their operations, launch new products and win more business as the area looks to build on a dramatic six months of announcements.

Providing the support will be a trio of advisers, who between them, have over 75 years’ automotive and manufacturing experience.

Mike Paxton, Norman Taylor and Peter Arnott also have a proven track record with Accelerate, giving guidance and mentoring to over 750 companies since 1996.

“Like all business support agencies, we are continually evolving to make sure we deliver what companies want and need and this is reflected in our approach, which will give us a dedicated team of experts to work with suppliers in the five sub-regions,” explained Rachel Eade, Programme Manager.

“The Automotive industry is a very complex animal and management teams like to deal with advisers who know how the sector works, appreciate the pressures and can see the opportunities. With this in mind, we feel we have assembled three of the best specialists in the industry.”

She continued: “The challenge now is for local companies to come forward and make the most of the new opportunities available, which potentially can make a massive difference to the operational performance of their business.”

Accelerate Business Advisers will be responsible for completing business reviews and then working with firms to apply for and implement the new grants.

Secured through the European Regional Development Fund, business development funding can be directed into introducing more efficient processes, optimising factory layout and the development of new products, whilst capital, as the name implies, is to aid in the purchase of state-of-the-art machinery.

“In essence, our role is to go into a company, understand where they are at and where they want to go and ultimately help them get there,” explained Norman Taylor, who secured a MSC in Manufacturing Systems during 29 years at Cincinatti Millacron.

“This could involve purchasing a 5-axis CNC machine, implementing a MRP programme or working with them to gain the TS16949 global quality accreditation. Equally it could be a case of just sign-posting them to another agency or helping to facilitate inter-trading between the West Midlands supply chain.”

Staffordshire-based Mike Paxton, who has an MSc in Management and Technology, added his support:

“We have seen suppliers from all over the region really grasp the nettle when it comes to world class manufacturing and innovation and it is our intention to make sure we are there and in a perfect position to help these companies continue their growth to the next stage.

“The new structure will see Norman and I look after Birmingham, Black Country, Staffordshire and West Mercia, with Peter Arnott responsible for companies in Coventry and Warwickshire. This gives us a real localised knowledge of each area and the ability to be pro-active in delivering the right support when firms need it most.”

Funded by Advantage West Midlands and the European Regional Development Fund, Accelerate has already assisted over 3000 firms since 1996 and continues to provide an integrated umbrella of support, which encompasses skills, funding opportunities, supply chain development and access to innovation.

In addition to business development and capital grants, the programme also offers Collaborative Networks and the industry leading supply chain improvement programmes, where a ‘tier one’ will act as a host and eight of its suppliers will work together to improve both individual and group performance.

Rachel concluded: “During the last decade, Accelerate has worked tirelessly to safeguard 52,889 jobs across the West Midlands. Furthermore, it has managed to engage with the private sector to attract over £46 million of investment and was the first point of contact during the MG Rover crisis in 2005.

“The ‘A-Team’ as they are being called will reinforce and build upon our success to make sure we provide the same level of expertise and assistance over the next ten years.”

For further information, please contact 0121 607 0123 or visit www.accelerate.uk.net

Bookmark this release: Del.icio.us - Digg - Furl - Blinklist - Reddit