Introduction

There are nearly 12,000 manufacturing businesses in the South West, generating £12 billion of GDP for the region. Of these businesses, 75% employ between one and 9 people and 93% under 50 people.

The South West Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) has been set up with these businesses in mind. South West MAS is one of ten manufacturing advisory services set up by the DTI (now Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform), whose brief is to help manufacturers improve their productivity through hands on advice and assistance.

The service is delivered in the South West by a consortium made up of the South West of England Regional Development Agency, Engineering Employers Federation (Western), the region's six Business Links and HERDA -West, representing the Higher Education Institutions. Other regional organisations involved include the CBI, IoD and FSB.