Member Article

New scheme launched to help industrial SMEs

North East industrial bosses are set to meet to discuss the newly formulated Business Acceleration for SMEs programme (BASME).

The scheme aims to help 400 SMEs operating in the process industry identify direct sales opportunities, whilst also bringing new products and services to market.

The £1.5 million industry match programme supported by NEPIC promises to deliver £40 million of additional sales each year and will create 1000 new jobs over the next 36 months.

At an event at Durham County Cricket Club, the 60 business mentors who have signed up to the scheme will be addressed by Heidi Mottram OBE and Sir John Hall about how they can help businesses to grow.

Out of the mentors, three industrial leaders have been chosen to head up the programmes - Ian Stark of Chemoxy will focus on improved local sales; James Robson of Exwold Technology will apply his vast experience to increase international sales and Steve Bagshaw of Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies will support in the area of new products and services.

All SMEs who currently do or could participate in the process industry supply chain can participate in the scheme, including engineering and safety companies, legal and marketing organisations, as well as recruitment and training.

This Regional Growth Fund supported project was created by NEPIC following a highly successful pilot programme in which the cluster mentored 16 SMEs into £3.375m of new business within 18 months, creating 28 new jobs and safeguarding a further 59.

The BASME programme will be officially launched in the 3rd July.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .