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The story so far
"We were set up to tackle the practical needs of manufacturers in the South West and have made it our aim to develop programmes and support that make a real difference, not just to manufacturers’ bottom line but also their future security and success. Manufacturing is continuously evolving and so we have sought to ensure our service does the same in order to have the greatest impact."
Arthur Richardson, Director, SWMAS
SWMAS works closely with manufacturers in the region to help improve productivity and competitiveness. It was set up to serve the 12,000 manufacturing businesses in the South West that generate more than £11billion for the local economy and employ nearly 300,000 people.
The SWMAS offers the following:
• Lean projects – tailored on-site to enable manufacturers to improve productivity, cut costs and reduce waste through the implementation of lean manufacturing principles that have been adopted by world-class manufacturers, such as Toyota and Procter & Gamble
• Strategic Management Programme (SMP) – established to help companies develop profitable strategies for growth, the SMP is 50 per cent match funded by the South West RDA. So far, more than 60 companies have participated in the programme, saving or creating 750 jobs and investing nearly £5 million in new products and processes
• ‘Offshore? Be sure!’ – a national offering, facilitated by SWMAS, that helps manufacturers evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of offshoring by assessing the hidden extras such as resourcing, maintaining consistent quality standards, shipping challenges, legal support, and much more
Knowing how and where to start on a path of continuous improvement can be daunting which is why manufacturing specialists from the SWMAS are on hand to provide practical support and insight. And, with the Olympics only years away, there has never been a better time to think through how you can become more competitive, gear up for new business and even win a London 2012 contract.
SWMAS helps manufacturing businesses in the region improve their productivity and competitiveness. Established in 2001, SWMAS has successfully delivered the South West Manufacturing Advisory Service contract (one of ten regional MAS defined by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills) for the past nine years.
Central to its success is the dedicated team of Specialists that work across the region undertaking "free reviews" to identify how best to bring about improvement. Each Specialist has worked within manufacturing, offering years of experience and real, hands-on support.
- Visited over 780 manufacturers
- Delivered over 3,500 days of best practice modules and workshops
- Saved more than £30million across 350 businesses
- Organised 300 events, attracting nearly 6,000 attendees
- Worked in conjunction with key partners including Business Link and EEF
"SWMAS Specialists have years of experience working in manufacturing and I would have no hesitation in recommending the service to any business serious about improvement."
Robin Thorn, Managing Director
Thorn Cycles
"We received a very personal service and the action plan that we have devised together is realistic, specific and achievable. The future is now extremely bright for us!"
Chris Nagle, Director
T M Safety Signs
"From the onset, the SWMAS Specialists had a confidence and enthusiasm that encouraged the team to think outside of the box. As a result of the project, we have improved communications between teams, increased the available and usable space by 39 per cent and are working much more efficiently."
David Whitehead, Operations Manager
VT Communications
"Before we started working with the SWMAS, my knowledge of lean manufacturing techniques was limited. Since then, we have put many of these principles into practice, and as a result our turnover has increased dramatically and we have significantly reduced waste."
Jimmy Finn, Production Director
Bott
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