Burnley engineering boss to advise on £20m. business support prgramme

Trevor Cassie, group operations director of BCW Engineering, based at Innovation Drive, will advise on Made Smarter, the recently launched initiative to help the North West’s manufacturing sector through the adoption of more industrial digital technologies.

Trevor and colleagues will monitor progress of the pilot project and report on learnings which will help to inform the proposed national roll-out of the Made Smarter concept.

Other outputs will include the ongoing promotion of Made Smarter locally, regionally and nationally, and the strengthening of relationships between Made Smarter and other partners working across the advanced manufacturing agenda in the North West.

The board will also be responsible for ensuring good governance during the lifetime of the Made Smarter North West pilot.

Mr Cassie said: “With the progression of digitalisation in manufacturing there are exciting times ahead for firms across Lancashire and the wider North West, and I am greatly looking forward to being part of the Made Smarter team.”

Made Smarter was officially launched before Christmas in Liverpool. Backed by government and some of the world’s biggest businesses, the Made Smarter North West programme is set to engage with 3,000 SME manufacturers based in Cheshire and Warrington, Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Manchester and the Liverpool City Region to boost productivity.

Companies that get involved in the project will get the chance to access match funded support and advice regarding how new technologies could revolutionise their manufacturing processes and reap the benefits of more efficient production.

Around 600 North West manufacturing SMEs will also qualify for more intensive business support, gaining access to match-funded grants, bespoke consultancy, mentoring and other resources which will help them to accelerate commercial growth.

It is anticipated that by becoming a test-bed for new types of technologies and advanced processes, the region’s manufacturing sector could generate a 25% increase in productivity and add £115m. to the North West economy.

Embracing the principles of Made Smarter could also help to open up new markets, increase exports and create thousands of additional high-skilled, high-value jobs in the region. Companies interested in registering for more details should visit www.madesmarter.uk or contact their local Growth Hub.