Member Article

AMF event to focus on £24m manufacturing funding programme

South Shields-based The Advanced Manufacturing Forum (AMF) will hold an event later this month focusing on how manufacturers can gain access to expertise and world class facilities available in the North East.

Key to this will be the discussion of a £24m funding programme, which will be discussed as part of the manufacturing seminar on bringing business ideas to life.

Details of the multi-million pound Tooling Funding scheme, which is available to toolmakers and component manufacturers, will also be revealed.

Jack Hanwell, manufacturing sector development manager for the AMF, said: “This is a great opportunity for manufacturing businesses in the region to find out how they can turn ideas they have for their businesses into reality.

“It’s often a huge struggle actually making things happen, but these speakers we have arranged to come to the meeting next week have a wealth of experience which they are keen to pass on to firms in the region.

“Attendees can also find out about a huge pot of money potentially available to them, which could give them a real financial helping hand as we prepare to move into 2016.”

AMF organisers have arranged for talks by representatives of two of the region’s ‘catapults’ – bodies which aim to turn business ideas into reality.

Dr Graham Bulman from the High Value Engineering (HVE) Catapult will focus on world-class research and development findings, along with James Battensby, the technical bid manager for the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult.

Steve Hetherington, investment director of Finance Birmingham, will talk about the £24m fund and who could potentially benefit from it.

The meeting, and networking event, will take place on Wednesday, December 16, at AMF, One Trinity Green, in Eldon Street, South Shields, between 12pm and 2.30pm.