Member Article

Cambridge University launch SME manufacturing support

Cambridge University’s Institute for Manufacturing has launched a national programme of support for SMEs in the manufacturing sector.

IfM Education and Consultancy Services Limited, the dissemination arm of the Institute will deliver the project, which will demonstrate to ambitious firms how to build better businesses, increase revenues, create employment and boost profitability.

Dr Derek Ford who leads the small business team at IfM ECS said “The programme recognises that SME senior managers work ‘in’ the business, typically leading Sales, Operations or Finance, and have little time to work ‘on’ the business to identify how the firm can best develop and grow.

“Our programme is designed to focus on the parts of the business that will really make a difference, using the minimum of time and resources.”

The project will typically consist of three stages of engagement: prioritisation, which reveals top priority areas for the company, and builds a tailored action plan; business strategy, which often identifies new market or product opportunities, and how the firm should compete; and capability development, which helps build the firm’s ability to win orders and manage constraints to growth.

IfM ECS’s facilitators have substantial senior manufacturing management experience and will take a collaborative approach, working closely with each company to transfer know-how and build capabilities.

Rob Dale, Managing Director of Dale Foods said, “The team at the IfM ECS are great to work with and bring years of practical experience as well as excellent academic and theoretical underpinning to the table.

“We look forward to working closely with them over the coming years.”

Previous publicly funded projects in the Midlands and East of England, such as the Essex Manufacturing Innovation & Growth Programme (EMIG), have informed further SME support services across the North, North West, Wales, South and East England.

David Adlington, Head of Enterprise, Essex County Council noted: “Through our 3 year partnership with IfM ECS we have delivered the Essex Manufacturing Innovation and Growth programme (EMIG) to over 100 manufacturers in Essex, enabling them to realise their aspirations to develop and grow their business.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .