Learning to make money and create jobs
1 min read
A scheme involving universities working with manufacturers in the West Midlands has announced it has reached the £50 million mark in terms of sales created, and in the past three years since it was set up, the West Midlands Technology Network (WMTN) has also generated or protected more than 1300 jobs for the region’s firms.
Run between Coventry University, Staffordshire University, University of Central England, University of Wolverhampton and Walsall College, the Network is playing a significant role in linking expertise to the specific needs of manufacturing firms, many of them badly affected by the impact of global competition on UK manufacturing.
Funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF), the Network operates by bringing together specific resources and expertise from each of the institutions, and in forging close and trusting partnerships with local firms on everything from product design and development, to improving management and delivery of goods and services.
One company to benefit has been Plastic Products ABC, and Chris Collyer, managing director says: “Firms don’t need more consultancy. They know what the issues are, they can see the potential in what they’re doing. What really matters is having someone who can make things happen for them. And this is what has made WMTN so effective.
“We had the expertise and operations to diversify, but at what potential cost and what level of new risk?” said Collyer. “Of all the support services and advice available to SMEs out there, our first thought wouldn’t have been a university. The day-to-day issues of one SME aren’t expected to even be on the radar. But it was our work with the West Midlands Technology Network which gave us the inspiration and direction to transform the business.”
Grey Denham, chairman of CBI West Midlands, added: “There’s been no shortage of talk about how the region’s businesses can better adapt to the new manufacturing environment. But here’s a scheme that’s got on with the job and delivered for our firms in a major way. The impact of the WMTN has already been tremendous, and with its practical, roll-your-sleeves-up approach to dealing with the specific challenges and ambitions of individual companies, demands to get ongoing support as an invaluable resource for the region.”
More information on West Midlands Technology Network is available on line.
