Member Article

New figures reveal impact of digital programme in the West Midlands

The extension of a major programme which improves digital skills and access to technology in manufacturing and engineering businesses has been welcomed after new figures revealed its impact in the West Midlands.

Made Smarter is to be rolled out nationally after the Government committed to expanding the Made Smarter Adoption Programme to all nine English regions in 2025-26 before working with Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland from 2026-27.

Made Smarter West Midlands was introduced in 2021 as part of a one-year pilot programme to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the manufacturing and engineering sector access match-funded grant funding and digital experts to take the next step forward to drive growth.

Coventry and Warwickshire (CW) Growth Hub has led the Made Smarter West Midlands scheme alongside the Growth Hubs in Worcestershire, The Marches, and Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire, and on behalf of Business Growth West Midlands, the West Midlands Combined Authority and the Department for Business and Trade.

CW Growth Hub also works closely with strategic partners WMG, at the University of Warwick, and the MTC, to tap into the expertise of their digital manufacturing specialists.

New figures released by Made Smarter West Midlands show there were 560 registrations between April 2021 and November 2023 with 115 grants being awarded from April 2021 to this October valued at £1.94 million.

Of the 115 grants, 27 were awarded in the Black Country, 30 in Coventry and Warwickshire, 18 in Greater Birmingham and Solihull, 13 in The Marches, 16 in Stoke and Staffordshire, and 11 in Worcestershire.

This has resulted in increasing the Gross Value Added across the West Midlands so far since April 2021 to £128.1 million.

The GVA breaks down in each area to: Black Country (£34.1 million), Coventry and Warwickshire (£29.8 million), Greater Birmingham and Solihull (£15.1 million), The Marches (£21.1 million), Stoke and Staffordshire (£15.9 million) and Worcestershire (£12.1 million).

Craig Humphrey, Chief Executive of Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub, said Made Smarter West Midlands has been an undeniable success throughout the region and he was delighted it was being extended nationally.

“The whole purpose of Made Smarter is to equip SMEs in the manufacturing and engineering industry with the digital skills and technology to grow and take their businesses to the next level,” he said.

“Not only has this helped to upskill staff but it has benefited our local economy enormously, as the figures reflect.

“The response has been staggering and we have been oversubscribed which is why we are so pleased the programme has been extended because it gives our digital transformation specialists the opportunity to visit and help even more companies.

“Made Smarter has underlined the need for this kind of support for manufacturing and engineering companies because it is vital digital technology is embraced to improve productivity and skills.

“SMEs have always been the bedrock of our economy and the Made Smarter programme, delivered by my team across the West Midlands, has highlighted the impact of digital technology in manufacturing and engineering and we are delighted that this is now being rolled out across the country and extended until 2030.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Matt Joyce .