Manufacturing summit to set agenda for North West

The Manufacturing Institute – the North West’s Regional Centre for Manufacturing Excellence (RCME) under the DTI’s Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) scheme – is staging a free ‘Manufacturers’ Summit’ on 25 October at the Reebok Stadium in Bolton. Backed by the Northwest Development Agency, the event is set to bring together manufacturing experts, captains of industry, trade union representatives and government leaders with the objective of finding ways to take the region’s manufacturing businesses into the next year. Manufacturing guru Richard Schonberger, originator of the ‘world class manufacturing’ concept, will lead the event, providing his insights into the future of UK manufacturing. And Alan Johnson, Minister of State for the Regions and Employment Relations, will also be among the speakers. Johnson says, “We should be in no doubt that the success of our manufacturers is crucial to achieving prosperity for all. Economic development and thousands of jobs in the North West depend upon us securing a vibrant and successful manufacturing base to meet the challenges of global competition.” Other keynote speakers include: Peter Booth, national organiser for the Transport and General Workers Union; John Getty, chairman of PDS Engineering; Bryan Gray, chairman of the Northwest Development Agency; and Neville Chamberlain, chairman of The Manufacturing Institute. Delegates will also meet senior people from major North West manufacturing companies like Jaguar, BAE Systems and BNFL. Says Gray: “Manufacturing matters to the Northwest of England, contributing around 26% of GDP– much more than the national average. In an increasingly competitive global market it is imperative that we all work together to drive up manufacturing competitiveness and productivity in region.”