£230,000 funding secured to help the digital transformations of Salford manufacturers

A digital technology adoption programme has secured an additional £230,000 funding to help more Salford-based manufacturers.

The funding provided to Made Smarter Adoption North West will support Salford SME’s (Small and Medium enterprises) access transformational technology.

Made Smarter offers SME manufacturing and engineering companies access to technology advice, leadership and skills training, as well as grant funding for digital internships and technology projects.

The allocation from the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) will fund at least 10 new companies to adopt technologies such as sensors, robotics and 3D printers to increase productivity.

The funding will also provide growth, and will also look to create new high value jobs while supporting decarbonisation.

Alain Dilworth, Programme Manager, said: “I am delighted that DBT have allocated a further £230k of in-year funding to Made Smarter Adoption North West.

“The majority will go towards supporting our strong pipeline of companies to adopt new digital tools to accelerate their digital transformation.

“The opportunity to be able to support more manufacturing and engineering SMEs is something we relish, and we urge those companies who have yet to make contact with us to do so.”

The project will also help accelerate their digital development, and provide help to SME’s lacking in-house resources and know-how.

Donna Edwards, Director of Made Smarter’s North West Adoption Programme, said: “This additional funding package is testament to the positive impact that Made Smarter North West is having.

“Our programme has been designed specifically for manufacturers, offering specialist advice to help them select the right approach, level of investment and tools to grow and build resilience.”

Made Smarter will be entering their seventh year this Jaanuary, they have so far engaged with 2,500 companies and offered technology advice to over 500 individual businesses.

As Donna continued: “As we enter our 7th year, we are more determined than ever to reach more SME manufacturers across the sector to talk to them about the benefits of introducing new technologies and new digital skills.”

Local SME’s are being encouraged to seek the opportunity through the their website here.