For The Makers was launched by the Made Smarter adoption program in the North West, which works with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to help adopt Industry 4.0 technologies and digital skills to help boost productivity, stimulate sustainable growth and create new jobs. .
The advertisements are used as livery on 120 buses operating in the region and will appear on digital billboards at key locations for commuters.
They feature striking photographs and testimonials from “makers” who have already reaped the rewards of Made Smarter since its launch in 2018.
Coupled with social media ads, the campaign aims to raise awareness and show the impact the government-funded, industry-led program can have on SMEs seeking support.
Lynn Lloyd Soft Furnishings, a Leigh-based bespoke curtain and blind manufacturer, worked with Made Smarter to introduce new technology to streamline their manufacturing process.
MD Lynn Lloyd said: “Working with Made Smarter has been extremely easy. They gave us fantastic support and understood our needs. They have allowed us to use our time more efficiently and increase the efficiency of our production.
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“The investment in a new computer system has streamlined our manufacturing process. We can now track orders quickly and easily move them around the factory. This allowed us to grow and accept new contracts. It fundamentally changed the way we operate and deliver to our customers.
Some 450 Greater Manchester manufacturers, including more than 30 from Wigan, have so far benefited from support from Made Smarter’s fully-funded intensive support program, which includes technology grants, expert and unbiased advice on technology and digital transformation workshops to help take their first steps to transforming their business. Meanwhile, companies have access to digital technology internships that provide students and graduates with paid internships to work on live technology projects, while current and future leaders have also developed the vision and skills to pursue smarter manufacturing through the Made Smarter Leadership program.
And 49 in Greater Manchester, including seven in Wigan, secured more than £1.1m in matching funding for 63 projects, worth £3.8m after private sector investment, which are expected to create 264 new jobs, upskill many roles and deliver an additional £44.5m of Gross Value Added (GVA) to the regional economy over the next three years.
These technologies help integrate systems, capture and analyze data, and even create simulations of their plants and processes, to improve efficiency and reduce waste. Other projects have introduced 3D printing, automation and robotics to solve business challenges and meet growing demand.
But as Greater Manchester is home to over 6,000 manufacturers, employing 110,000 people and generating £8billion of economic output each year, Made Smarter is determined to extend its offer of support to SMEs in this sector who often struggle struggling to achieve Industry 4.0 transformation within their companies.
Donna Edwards, Program Director for Made Smarter North West, said: “The positive impact Made Smarter is having on manufacturing businesses in Greater Manchester has been fantastic to see and we hope to replicate that in the North West.”
