MAS appoint new national director to boost England's manufacturing SMEs

A leading specialist in international engineering and management consultancy has been appointed to head the delivery of the national Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS).

Steven Barr took up his position this week with Grant Thornton, who lead the consortium delivering MAS, and has immediately signalled his desire to build on the platform of specialist support SME manufacturers need in order to grow, develop new products and create jobs.

The chartered engineer will be responsible for the continued evolution of the successful service, which provides assistance with strategy, process improvement, innovation and helping firms make the most of their supply chain.

He will be responsible for leading a team of 80 dedicated Manufacturing Advisors, who work on the ground with many of the 110,000 SME manufacturers in England, assisting them to overcome issues affecting the growth of their businesses and ensuring they are in a position to make the most of new market opportunities.

“Small to medium sized enterprises make up more than 95% of England’s industrial base and have a major role to play in our future economic success,” explained Steven.

“There is a real shift towards sourcing products made in this country and we have to make sure that the supply chain is in a position to take advantage of these domestic and global opportunities…this is where MAS comes into its own.

“I want to build on the high standards we’ve already achieved and will be collaborating with a host of support partners and industry groups to deliver the best service possible. This is essential if we are going to respond to the ever-changing requirements of SMEs and to ensure that the assistance we provide continues to create commercial value and makes a positive bottom line difference.”

Steven joins MAS from PA Consulting Group, where he spent six years as a Management Consultant responsible for sales and projects, complex strategy development and advanced analytics and modelling.

He has worked in industry for over 25 years, delivering global engineering and operations projects for Halcrow Group (now part of CH2M Hill), before taking leading roles with PA Consulting on the successful delivery of high value assignments in energy, rail, manufacturing and public sector procurement.

A specialist in project and programme delivery, he also boasts a proven track record of stakeholder management and strong leadership.

Stephen Peacock, sirector at Grant Thornton, is delighted with the appointment: “This is a powerful addition to our senior management team. Steven has fantastic industry knowledge, great expertise and contacts in key sectors that offer major potential for the manufacturing industry. His track record of leadership and focus on the customer will be invaluable to the service.”

Funded by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), MAS is managed by a consortium led by Grant Thornton UK LLP and including South West Manufacturing Advisory Service Ltd, Pera Consulting Ltd and the West Midlands Manufacturing Consortium Ltd.