Manufacturing Connect
Supporting manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to boost their performance and productivity, Manufacturing Connect (MC) is a short, intensive scheme to help you quickly build confidence and a clear business case for adopting new digital technologies.
Whilst the range of enterprise resource planning technologies are proven to have a transformative effect on business performance and productivity, there are some very real and practical barriers which hold back many SMEs from taking the step to adopting.
Being confident on the return on investment, knowing which technology to select (in a crowded market of options), managing the change (in practices and mindset), and minimising disruption, are all real considerations businesses need to overcome.
Manufacturing Connect will support you in three key ways:
- Improve your understanding of your productivity and where different digital business technologies can make a measurable impact.
- Experience examples of successful adoption from other manufacturing SMEs.
- Build a business case for investment and plan the practical implementation.
Manufacturing Connect can also support you to connect with funding schemes to help investment costs and high quality, local technology specialists.
How does it work?
Manufacturing Connect involves a three stage Adoption Sprint Process, which starts with a one-to-one diagnostic with a digital adoption specialist. Following this, you will be enrolled onto our connect to grow and growth demonstrator activities.
Throughout the processes we’ll support you with engaging, authentic learning content. We’ll also ask you a lot of questions about your business throughout. Asking all the right questions is crucial to help you reflect on the issues which may be affecting your business performance.
Who can take part?
Manufacturing Connect is for any small or medium sized manufacturing business in the North West. Whether you’re already on the path to adopting a new technology or some way from considering any investment, we’re welcoming manufacturers from across the region to connect.
The programme is fully-funded for SMEs and takes approximately five hours to complete. Its short, sharp, but intense and impactful – we help you get a lot done in a short amount of time.
What SMEs say about working with Edge Hill
“Our participation in this programme has been very rewarding. It has opened our eyes to the range of digital solutions available to us, and furthermore has provided reassurance that our pain points” are by no means unique and can be improved.”
Cheshire Seals and Components
“Manufacturing Connect has provided a great deal of information to allow us to move forward with confidence as we digitise our systems to help us achieve our growth plans.”
SolidTek limited
“The case studies provided an excellent insight into how we can further expand our existing ideas and implement new systems.”
J Wareing – Steel Framed Building Manufacturer
“Manufacturing Connect has given me a lot of ideas and has filled in several blanks on how we might overcome our problems.”
Lantex – Bespoke Textile Manufacturer
“I found it very interesting and very engaging… certainly of use, and very enlightening.”
WA Cooke
Manufacturing Connect is a joint initiative led by Edge Hill University, the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (NW), and Manchester Metropolitan University which seeks to drive up the adoption rates of productivity-boosting digital technologies in SME manufacturers.
Manufacturing Connect Lancashire is part funded by BEIS and Innovate UK. View project Privacy Notice
Get in touch
Contact our team today to express your interest and get your business diagnostic underway. We’ll also share the results of the diagnostic straight away so you can immediately begin to see where your priorities lie.