Member Article

Global tech brands support North West manufacturers

Following the announcement by Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) that investment designed to help generate thousands of local jobs, has topped £600 million since the funds launched, manufacturers in the North West are set to profit from a new innovative programme, IN4.0 ACCESS.

The accelerator is supported by global businesses including BAE Systems, Vodafone, Amazon Web Services and NatWest.

According to figures from Accenture, Industry 4.0, hailed as the 4th industrial revolution, could boost the UK economy by £350billion by 2030. In the North West, new research released by Make UK and BDO LLP suggests the manufacturing sector was worth £28.5billion over the past year – and that figure would be accelerated by upskilling employees and implementing Industry 4.0 techniques.

The new programme has been running in Lancashire and Manchester for the past month, where 40 future leaders from local businesses including Hyde Aero Products, Poppies Europe and Kaman, form part of the first cohort.

IN4.0 ACCESS delivers a groundbreaking disruptive innovation accelerator programme, aimed at supporting pioneering manufacturers, helping to develop their businesses through digital and technological transformation and allowing them to scale and succeed at pace.

Paul Mellor, a delegate on the programme and Technical Director at Hyde Aero Products, said; “I’ve joined the course because I want to fully understand the Industry 4.0 concept so we can inform our business strategy. I want to roadmap our IN4.0 strategy in line with the very best industry experts.

“We plan to introduce new skills into the business, via training and upskilling our existing people, as well as drawing in new talent to the business.”

Commenting on the programme, IN4.0 Group CEO, Mo Isap, said; “This is a unique accelerator programme delivered to manufacturers across the North West. Through our partners in large, innovative businesses and the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) we are helping manufacturers understand the opportunities that digital transformation brings.

“More importantly our programme empowers future leaders, with the skills to drive businesses forward. The vision is for IN4.0 Group to become global leaders and pioneers in Industry 4.0, and to future proof jobs for our emerging talent, so they’re equipped to thrive and succeed in every region of the UK.

“We’ve already started in Manchester and Lancashire and we plan to expand into regions across the country, establishing the ACCESS programme, working collaboratively with partners to bring new opportunities to each region.”

IN4.0 ACCESS launched in September 2019 and is already training delegates from 40 companies in Lancashire and Manchester. The programme can be funded through the Degree Apprenticeship Levy and enables companies to up-skill their technical staff to UCLan Postgraduate Diploma Engineering Competence Level and MSc Engineering (Design & Development) level. It is a joint venture between IN4.0 Group and the University of Central Lancashire, supported by industry change experts and business owners.

The IN4.0 Group also runs IN4.0 TALENT, bridging the gap between industry and education. The TALENT team match highly skilled technology postgraduates with employers in the manufacturing and engineering industry, seeking digital and IN4.0 know-how. They’ve quickly created exciting new opportunities for both employers and students, growing a digital workforce that is fit for the future.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Rachel McBryde .