£6.1m funding boost to accelerate digitalisation among Rochdale manufacturers

Wednesday, 28 September 2022 19:30

By David Murphy

Made Smarter has helped 2,500 businesses use tech and skill to grow GVA by £176 million and create 1,250 jobs

Three year programme extension will target hundreds more makers with support

A trailblazing programme that has backed Rochdale manufacturers to adopt new digital technology and skills to create growth and jobs has secured £6.1m funding to continue for three more years.

Made Smarter has helped 2,500 small and medium-sized companies across the region start their digital journey by providing them with specialist advice and a digital roadmap to help them select the right approach, level of investment and tools for their business.

More than 250 of them, supported by matched funding, have invested in new technology, ranging from software and sensors to robotics and extended reality, to become more efficient, build resilience, increase their productivity and grow sustainably.

As a result, these manufacturers are set to create 1,250 new jobs, upskill almost 2,300 existing roles, deliver an additional £176 million in gross value added to the region, and help the UK meet its net zero target by 2050.

Now with a further £6.1m funding from the government, Made Smarter can accelerate its drive to support hundreds more SME manufacturers in Rochdale to embrace the industry 4.0 movement.

Meanwhile, as a result of the trailblazing work in the North West, the national roll out of the Made Smarter adoption programme has continued, and now includes the West of England and East Midlands. They join the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber, and the West Midlands regions.

Alain Dilworth, Programme Manager for the Made Smarter Adoption Programme in the North West, said: “I am delighted that the Government has recognised the extraordinary impact that Made Smarter’s adoption programme is having on digitalisation of SME businesses and the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies in the North West whilst continuing to fund our work for the next three years.

“While UK manufacturing navigated the pandemic and is working towards recovery, it is also bracing for further challenging times and economic bumps in the road ahead. Our rallying call to manufacturers is that digital technologies offer businesses opportunities to build resilience, innovate and transform. Digital tools can help manufacturers make marginal savings, set themselves apart from competitors in a volatile time, and make products quicker, affordable and more efficiently.

“This new funding means we can renew our ambition to reach out to the region’s SME manufacturers to connect them to the tools that will make an everyday difference to their businesses, build resilience and enable them to keep up with a fast-moving industry.”

Made Smarter’s simple and straightforward approach gets quickly to the heart of a business’s challenges and supports them to take that first step in their digital transformation.

Registration takes five minutes and is followed up with a digital transformation workshop to identify core challenges and provide a bespoke digital manufacturing roadmap.

Made Smarter’s team of expert advisors then pinpoint other ways that the programme can support a company’s digitalisation including skills and leadership development, and recommending the correct technology to invest in.

For more information visit https://www.madesmarter.uk

Donate to Roch Valley Radio

Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something happening in our Borough?

Let us know by emailing newsdesk@rochvalleyradio.com

All contact will be treated in confidence.

More from Local News

Charity Santa’s sleigh run hit by online abuse from ‘shameful, entitled parents’

It’s a tradition bringing smiles, joy and cheer to hundreds of families in the run up to Christmas. But the volunteers behind Radcliffe Rotary Santa Sleigh run say they have been forced to endure ‘rude or inappropriate comments about their efforts’.
Flood alert issued for Rochdale and Bury as heavy rain continues across Greater Manchester

Residents warned to be prepared as river levels rise in wake of persistent rainfall.
Bury FC part company with Michael Jolley days after managerial appointment following backlash

Bury Football Club has confirmed that Michael Jolley has been relieved of his duties as first team manager by mutual consent just days after taking up the role.
A candid conversation at Roch Valley Radio with Colin Lambert on truth, trust and local media

On Saturday 6th December, I spent a couple of hours at Roch Valley Radio with Tim, Dave and Dean.
Rochdale Scouts to represent UK at World Scout Jamboree in Poland

Eleven young people from across Rochdale have been selected to represent the borough, and the UK, at the World Scout Jamboree 2027 in Gdańsk, Poland.
GMP cracks down on internal corruption in proactive investigation into officer misconduct

Eight officers and two staff under investigation over inappropriate contact with sex workers as Greater Manchester Police steps up efforts to root out those unfit to serve.
Rochdale Council launches consultation on changes to Council Tax Support Scheme

Proposed changes include lowering the maximum discount from 85% to 80% and reducing the number of income bands, as the council seeks to balance its budget amidst ongoing cuts to government funding.
Live music debuts at Theatre Royal with acclaimed Manchester act

Ramsbottom’s Theatre Royal has launched its first ever live music event, welcoming Manchester swing artist Dominic Halpin and the Honey B’s to a packed and appreciative audience.
71 dogs and puppies rescued from suspected illegal breeders in Bury

Dozens of dogs and puppies have been rescued and rehomed following a Greater Manchester Police (GMP) investigation into suspected illegal puppy breeding and sales in Bury.
£1m cannabis farm dismantled by GMP officers in Heywood raid

A man has been arrested after officers uncovered a large-scale cannabis farm in the centre of Heywood, with a potential street value of £1 million.
AFC Supporters comic Poem written about Rochdale's last match called Muddy Hell!

Following a costly spell of mid-season maintenance brought on by unplayable conditions resembling a mud bath, Rochdale AFC’s pitch is now undergoing full renovation.
Bury GPs urge parents to vaccinate children against flu ahead of Christmas

Doctors warn that unvaccinated children could endanger grandparents and vulnerable relatives during festive family gatherings