20annual%20report%2008

BERR MANUFACTURINGADVISORY SERVICE

NOVEMBER 2008

2008 ANNUAL REPORT

0005-1108 First published November 2008. © Crown Copyright. URN 08/360

web www.mas.berr.gov.uke-mail [email protected] 0845 658 9600

England’s Regional

Development Agencies

www.englandsrdas.com

foreword

BERR MANUFACTURING ADVISORY SERVICE

2008 ANNUAL REPORT

As this report demonstrates, theManufacturing Advisory Service(MAS) has played an important rolein building on the sector’scompetitiveness. MAS has helpedmany manufacturers by providingtimely and practical support and theGovernment is firmly committed tobuilding on its success.

Since its inception, MAS hasgenerated £546m in value added forclient firms. It has dealt with over142,800 technical enquiries frommanufacturers, carried out morethan 24,800 free on-site diagnosticreviews and more than 8,400in-depth consultancy projects.

I recognise that manufacturers havebeen affected by unprecedentedfinancial turbulence weakeningconsumer confidence. In addition,increases in global oil and rawmaterial prices have createdpressures on margins. Against thatbackground, the extension of theMAS offer from April 1st this year tooffer help and advice to improveoperational efficiencies over allaspects of manufacturing, providesthe opportunity for companies toimprove productivity and help theirbottom line.

I congratulate the RegionalDevelopment Agencies (RDAs),Devolved Administrations, RegionalCentres and stakeholders who areinvolved in supporting and deliveringMAS. This report highlights theirsuccesses and achievements overthe past year, demonstrating howMAS can help manufacturerscompete more effectively in theglobal economy.

Ian Pearson MP,Economic and Business Minister

Ian Pearson MP,

Economic and Business Minister

“Since its inception,

MAS has generated

£546m in value added

for client firms. It has

dealt with over 142,800

technical enquiries from

manufacturers, carried

out more than 24,800

free on-site diagnostic

reviews and more

than 8,400 in-depth

consultancy projects.”

03


2008 ANNUAL REPORT

Foreword by Ian PearsonMP,

Economic and Business Minister 03

Delivering the future by Dr Bryan Jackson OBE,

Chairman East Midlands Development

Agency 04

An Introduction 05

The MAS programme 06

Regional Centres 08

MAS delivers on time and in full 10

Partnership potential 12

Effective events 13

Ambitions 14

Further information 15

contentsManufacturing is a crucial part of the UK economy and the Government is firmly

committed to the development of a strong, high value added manufacturing

sector with the ability to compete successfully in global markets. The launch

in September 2008 of ‘Manufacturing: New Challenges, New Opportunities’

reaffirms the Government’s commitment to the sector as a key part of a mixed

and balanced economy. We are the world’s sixth largest manufacturer, measured

by output manufacturing contributes £150 billion per annum to the economy,

75% of all business Research & Development (R&D) and half of all exports.

Looking forward, a thriving modern manufacturing sector is central to the

future success of the British economy.

05


2008 ANNUAL REPORT

an introduction04

The BERR Manufacturing Advisory Service helps small and medium sized

manufacturing firms identify and implement manufacturing best practice to achieve

improvements in their productivity and competitiveness. MAS provides companies

with practical, no nonsense support in all aspects of manufacturing; offering direct

access to manufacturing experts with a proven track record and subsidised

consultancy assistance where it is needed.

Government targets set for MAS in2005 to achieve £250 million ofGross Value Added (GVA) withinthree years have been surpassed.MAS actually delivered over £390mof GVA by March 2008 - almost£140 million over the originalgoal with six months to spare,demonstrating that 2007-08 hasbeen another exceptional yearfor MAS.

The dedicated MAS regionalteams handled 20,600 enquiries

this year, completed 5,000

manufacturing reviews and held900 awareness raising/training

events (benefiting 12,300

participants).

Not only that, with a 63% increaseon the previous year, MAS adviserscompleted 2,200 in-depth

consultancy projects, involving atotal of 13,800 consultancy days

and providing added value of morethan £177m.

During the year, preparations werealso made for enhancing thestandard service MAS offers to UKmanufacturers. From April 1st 2008,MAS has been able to address theneeds of manufacturers in greaterdepth, covering a wider range ofmanufacturing issues and furtherdemonstrating the commitment ofBERR, the RDAs and the DevolvedAdministrations to continuousimprovement in the businessservices they invest in.

This year’s Annual Reportshowcases the on-going workundertaken by MAS in organisationsfrom small employers to multi-sitemanufacturers, right through fromhandling basic telephone enquiriesto complex projects which transformclients’ manufacturing operatingculture and performance.

Also celebrated are the on-goingpartnerships with the Institute ofMechanical Engineers (IMechE) inthe Manufacturing ExcellenceAwards and collaborations withother business support providers,such as Business Link and nationalcentres of excellence. Thesepartnerships will ensure that theUK’s diverse and dynamicmanufacturers have access to thebest support and advice availablewhen they need it.

delivering the future


2008 ANNUAL REPORT

Taking on responsibility for the MASNetwork coordination offers us anexcellent opportunity to extend ourexisting support for a service that isdelivering tremendous impact on UKmanufacturers; particularly those thatface continuing productivitychallenges in what is a highlycompetitive global market for allour SMEs.

Our new MAS network managementteam will ensure that nationalprogramme objectives are metincluding: continued identificationand dissemination of best practiceacross the regions; representing anddeveloping the MAS brand at anational level and supporting thedevelopment and piloting of newinnovative services based on evolvingneeds of manufacturing businesses.

The team has already takensteps to:

• Adapt its performancemanagement to cover the newwider service remit and providebetter support to disseminatebest practice information

• Increase the outreach of theprogramme to clients andkey stakeholder groupsthrough increased marketingeffectiveness

• Increase the profile of MASand create wider awareness ofmanufacturing best practice;through work with partnersincluding our support for theIMECHE MX Awards and TheEngineer Innovation Awards,as well as wider press andother media coverage

• Enhance MAS client servicesto address specialist needsthrough new collaborationswith organisations such as theBritish Automation and RoboticAssociation (BARA) and theIndustry Forum Network

• Improve business accessibilityto MAS and other businesssupport products by workingclosely with the Governmenton its Business SupportSimplification Programme.

Manufacturing is a criticalcomponent of UK competitivenessand MAS has a key part to play insupporting SMEs by helping themto implement productivityimprovements. Our primary roleover the next two years, workingin collaboration with our partners,is to increase the effectivenessof MAS for the benefit of UKmanufacturers.

Dr Bryan Jackson OBE,Chairman of East MidlandsDevelopment Agency (emda)and current Chair of Chairs forEngland’s Regional DevelopmentAgencies

Dr Bryan Jackson OBE, Chairman of

East Midlands Development Agency

(emda) and current Chair of Chairs for

England’s Regional Development

Agencies

In April 2008, East Midlands Development Agency (emda) through the RDA

Manufacturing lead role took on responsibility for coordinating, promoting, reporting

and developing the MAS service across the English regions on behalf of the

Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR). In so doing, we

also undertook to promote close cooperation with the Scottish and Welsh

administrations MAS services to deliver a consistent programme across the UK.

This role reflects the English RDAs’ commitment to manufacturing and emda’s lead

role for manufacturing on behalf of the RDAs.

“Every region needs an

organisation that is willing to

take hold of a ‘vision’ and run

with it just on the strength of

the leader’s belief. MAS West

Midlands believed in me and as

a result I now have a successful

and growing business.”

Vivean Pomell, Proprietor,

Brynels, Birmingham

“Before we started working

with the South West MAS,

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, Cornwall

07the MAS programme


2008 ANNUAL REPORTBERR MANUFACTURING ADVISORY SERVICE

2008 ANNUAL REPORT

06

What is MAS?

MAS delivers advice to UK manufacturers to improve their productivity and competitiveness. There are five mainlevels of service offered to businesses in need of manufacturing related support:

How does it work?

New MAS clients come to the servicedirectly or following referral fromBusiness Link and other organisationssuch as EEF, Trade Associationsand Chambers of Commerce aswell as recommendations fromprevious clients.

Specialist technical requirementscan be accommodated throughthe MAS network of advisers andmanufacturing experts who areable to provide professional adviceand practical, hands-on support.

For non-manufacturing queries,such as financial, human resources,marketing, legal or environmentalissues, MAS works closely withBusiness Link and other organisationsto ensure manufacturers haveaccess to a full range of businesssupport services.

What is the thinking behind it?

The national network of MASadvisers are focused on deliveringresults that positively impact onthe business’s bottom line; suchas reduction in stock levels andwastage rates, removing the needfor investment in new machinerythrough improved space utilisationand improving productivity outputthrough implementation of leantechniques.

Overall Quality Cost Delivery (QCD)improvements recorded for 2007-08have shown impressive results:

20.1%PeopleProductivityImprovement

21.7%

Improvementin SpaceUtilisation

44.9%

Increase inAnnual StockTurns

30.2%

Improvementin On Time InFull (OTIF)Delivery

24.3%

Reduction inScrap/Defectrate

29.0%

OverallEquipmentEffciencyImprovement

MAS Level Service Purpose

1 Direct helpline Enquiries for To provide information and advice0845 658 9600* information andwww.mas.berr.gov.uk assistance, [email protected] phone or email

2 Manufacturing Review of manufacturing To identify issues and problems to address and propose anReviews operations action plan

3 Events Training and To improve awareness and skills related to manufacturingnetworking events issues and best practice for wider audiences

4 Consultancy support In-depth To make immediate and lasting improvements toconsultancy projects manufacturing operations

5 Signposting and referral Referral to other To engage the business with support more appropriate forsources of support their need, or complementary to MAS support, e.g. formal

training requirements or capital grants

* calls are directed to the appropriate MAS regional centre

The approach taken embraces amodern definition of manufacturing.This not only includes the physicalprocessing of raw materials but alsorecognises the direct dependencybetween production processes andthe wider manufacturing valuechain; including research, designand development, logistics andmarketing as well as services toend users.

This definition recognises that tomake a difference to UKmanufacturing productivity, wehave to increase efficiency andvalue added in all areas of thebusiness, not just the shop floor.

“We managed to complete

our ‘scale up’ with help and

support from MAS. Having

doubled the kitchen output,

the advice given by the

manufacturing specialist

has enabled the team to

increase output and the size

of the production area.”

Tom Cull, Owner,

Dartmoor Kitchen, Devon

“Dartmoor Kitchen was on the cusp of

expanding its pie production and we

relished the chance to aid the

decision-makers in steps which would

pave the way for the company’s

future. The company is now reaping

the rewards and enjoying a higher

output due to a more streamlined

production process.”

Phil Halse, MAS specialist,

South West MAS

Tom Cull, Owner, Dartmoor Kitchen with Phil Halse, MAS specialist

The MAS programme has always aimed to introduce lean manufacturingprocesses, and the common services and tools, used by MAS advisers in2007-08 focused on:

• Developing lean thinking

• Providing value stream and process mapping

• Introducing 5s and 6 sigma techniques

• Team building

• Improving layouts and space utilisation

• Reducing work in progress

• Improving quality and delivery

• Introducing materials and product innovation “In 10 years time we still want

to be improving our business.

As a result of the expert advice

from MAS South East, our

policy is now ‘lean to grow,

lean to survive’.”

John Laister, Process Manager at

Siemens Magnet Technology,

Oxon

09regional centres


2008 ANNUAL REPORT

08

The 11 regional centres provide locally delivered support services to small and

medium sized manufacturers across the UK. Funded by the English RDAs and the

Devolved Administrations of Wales and Scotland, each centre offers tailored support

recognising the needs and priorities of local businesses. This localised expertise

and understanding is critical in successfully delivering a high quality service.

“The upholstery project, guided byNorth West MAS Practitioners,was critical to our success.The area has been transformedand we’ve seen a majorshift in performance.Productivity in thearea has alsoincreased by morethan 20%.”

James

Dewhurst,

Operations

Manager,

REM, Lancashire

“As a result of supportfrom MAS South East we

are now able to reduce our newproduct to market time from 18months to 12 months, withreduction in scrap materialtotalling over £100k in the next24 months.”

Saeed Zahedi, Technical Director,

Chas A Blatchford, Basingstoke

“By working with MAS Yorkshireand Humberside we’ve been ableto improve efficiency and reducecosts. This has also led to a morepositive work attitude on the shopfloor. Systems are now in placethat can be built on for furtherimprovement in the future. “

Russell Brown, Production Manager,

KD Decoratives, Yorkshire and Humberside

“MAS Walesprovided uswith invaluablesupport inreinventing ourplant andmodifyingmachinery, soincreased productionon this site is viable. Thismeans that we are not trapped bythe need to make a huge capitalinvestment.”

Ms Rowley, Founder,

Abaca, Carmarthenshire

“MAS North East has delivered amajor increase in efficiency withminimal capital expenditure andminimal disruption toproduction.”

David Glendinning, Managing Director,

H Jarvis, Cleveland

“To deliver our newbusiness opportunitieswe had to become‘lean’ in our approach.MAS East has played a

major part in the culturechange within the team.The transition was notdisruptive, butenthusiastic, as all of the

team were involved fromday one.”

Andy Stephen, Manufacturing Manager,

Herbert Retail, Suffolk

“We were sceptical aboutworking with MAS EastMidlands to start with but theyhave given us practical, hands-on support and in a languagethat we can understand! I amdelighted with what they havedone and we haven’t finishedthe project yet.”

Charles Tong, Managing Director,

Tong Engineering, Spilsby

“We were impressed by theirexpertise – it was clear ScottishMAS understood our business.We quickly saw benefits and are

now better at problemsolving, whichis key to improvingour turnaround time

and driving ourbusinessforward.”

Cameron Winton,

Engineering

Manager, Woodward

Engines, Prestwick

“As a group, the Regional Centre Directors

remain absolutely committed to helping UK

manufacturers raise their productivity levels

and competitiveness. I am delighted at the

way in which the MAS regional centres are

now working much more closely together

nationally to help firms face what really are

global challenges.”

David Wright, Chief Executive, West Midlands Manufacturing Advisory Service

“We all share a common set of goals –

to ensure MAS reaches out to as many

manufacturing SMEs as possible and

makes a significant improvement to

their productivity.”

Roger Parr, MAS National Network Resource Manager,

Business Support Team, emda

“Support from London MAS hashelped us both with ourmanufacturing base in Londonand abroad. This has deliveredsignificant financial benefits andsafeguarded jobs in London.”

Roger Piepenstock, Managing Director,

Contactum, London


2008 ANNUAL REPORT

MAS Regional Centre Directors

To find out how MAS

can benefit your

business contact:

tel:0845 658 9600

email:[email protected]

web:www.mas.berr.gov.uk

“The holistic approachof Value StreamMapping with theSouth West MAShas enabled themanagement team to identifyand address broken processesobjectively and convert thewhole process into onecohesive action plan.”

Richard Keith, Operations and IT

Manager, Microlights, Wiltshire

MASEASTMIDLANDS

MAS EAST

MAS SOUTH EAST

MASLONDON

MAS SOUTH WEST

MAS WALES

MASWESTMIDLANDS

MASNORTHWEST

MASYORKSHIREANDHUMBERSIDE

MASNORTHEAST

SCOTTISH MASA Network Team, funded by BERRand delivered by emda acts as a linkacross the national network. EachRegional Centre is led by a Directorwith responsibility for working withthe RDAs, National Network Teamand a range of local and nationalpartners to coordinate MAS activity.This structure ensures consistencyand flexibility across the service tofully accommodate the needs of UKwide manufacturers.

“Working with MAS WestMidlands has been invaluableto our company. Without theirhelp we would not havebeen able to successfullybuild the business wehave today.”

Gary Moore, Director,

Opal Contracts, Birmingham

11MAS delivers on time and in full



2008 ANNUAL REPORT

10

MAS has helped more than 140,000 UK manufacturers to share knowledge and

achieve greater success. A further £177 million of added value has been reported

for 2007/08, totalling an impressive £546m over its six years in operation.

What these figures don’t tell us about are the people and projects that make it all possible and the companiesbehind the headlines. MAS advisers facilitate genuine business successes by helping to enhance customersatisfaction through improvements to on time and in full deliveries; increasing work flow supported by reducedstock; reducing waste management costs and environmental impact due to scrap reductions. The following casestudies give an overview of what impact MAS has on manufacturers.

Company

Microlights Ltd: Wiltshire:Retail lighting

Project drivers

Ambitious expansion plans toincrease turnover by £1.5m in oneyear put Microlights under pressureto fulfil orders, obtain correctcomponents and work effectivelywith its supply chain. Havingalready implemented a lean projecton the factory floor, they contactedthe MAS South West for supportdeveloping and implementing abusiness philosophy of leanthroughout the back office.

MAS activity

MAS South West identified the needto improve order processing andforward planning. Value StreamMapping techniques explored theexisting office processes fromcustomer enquiry through topurchasing and production - makingchanges to streamline the internaloperational structure, improvingeffectiveness and enhancingreliability. Microlights were alsoencouraged to engage with itssuppliers by organising a supplierdevelopment day - discussing thechallenges in the marketplace andexplore opportunities to work moreeffectively together.

Results

• Capacity for taking ordersincreased by 20%

• Reduced production lead times

• Reduction in number of temporaryemployees required

• Improved internal structureof planning, purchasing andoperations

• Better understanding of themarkets in which it operates

Company

FTL Company Ltd: Leeds: Stainlesssteel hose manufacturer

Project drivers

FTL had been successful in winning newcontracts which required an increase inproduction by 50%. FTL soughtassistance from MAS to help bringproduction in-house so that they couldremain competitive and offset risingenergy costs.

MAS activity

MAS Yorkshire and Humbersideintroduced lean principles to FTL andhelped to implement Kaizen principles by

forming a project team. This highlightedthe problem of set-up and change overtimes which were made efficient bychanging the machine tooling layout.Teams were trained to monitor machineperformance, allowing checks to becarried out independently and defects tobe fixed immediately.

Results

• Set-up times reduced by 65%

• People productivity up 60%

• An additional £72,000 in GVA

• Created 30 new jobs

Company

Hydro Group Plc: Aberdeen:Sub Sea Electrical Cables

Project drivers

To internationalise operationsand grow from within the domesticmarket, improved delivery times andgreater flexibility were needed toaccommodate unexpected demands.

MAS activity

Scottish MAS carried out extensiveprocess mapping, discussing workingcultures and factory layout. Teams weretrained in 5s methodology to eliminatewaste through increased efficiency (a

system of Separating, Sorting,Sanitising, Standardising andSustaining) and 5s champions wereappointed to ensure best practice.

Results

• An efficient new factory layout

• 11% growth

• £500,000 GVA contribution

• Exports grown to 40%of turnover

Company

Marl International Limited:Cumbria: LED Solutions

Project drivers

Marking all components withsupply voltage and traceabilityusing outdated equipment wascausing long set up times andhigh tooling costs. It alsopresented a health and safetyrisk with multiple moving partsand the use of inks and thinners.

MAS activity

MAS North West worked with Marl todevelop an action plan followed by aprocess mapping exercise of theproduction process. This identifiedunnecessary transport and motion,high inventory levels and overprocessing. The team also re-designedthe factory layout which made spacefor new laser marking equipment.

Results

• Reduced lead times for toolingdesign and supply

• Equipment running and overheadcosts reduced by £5,000

• Production layout streamlined intoprocess flow production

• Reduced internal transportationand employee travel withinproduction area

• Reduced set-up times

• Up to 30 production jobssafeguarded

• Sales increased by up to £1m

Company

AmniTec: Merthyr Tydfil: Flexiblehose engineering

Project drivers

Committed to remaining in SouthWales, Amni-Tec wanted to expandand refurbish its Merthyr Tydfilbased plant. And, following aperiod of instability, the newmanagement team weredetermined to grow the businessand exploit new markets.

MAS activity

Following a full manufacturingprocess review carried out by MASWales, product standards weredeveloped and line balancingintroduced, proving an effectivetool to improve the throughput ofassembly lines, whilst reducinglabour hours and over-productioncosts.

Results

• A 50% improvement inproductivity in the vibrating andgas area

• Launched KPIs to improveoverall performance within theorganisation

• Developed an effectiveoperational strategy

• Identified new areas ofopportunity

• Improved plant layout

• Achieved a better environmentalprofile - energy savings of 20%have been made and thecompany uses only water-basedchemicals in its productionprocesses

13partnership potential



2008 ANNUAL REPORT

12

The MAS Regional Centres not only offer the opportunity for businesses to have

direct contact with manufacturing experts specialised in assisting SMEs, they also

provide a gateway to an established infrastructure of experts at centres of expertise

and training organisations across the UK. These include Business Link, Train to Gain

advisers and Manufacturing Sector Skills Councils.

Nearly 900 events, benefiting more than 12,300 manufacturing professionals,

were delivered during the year. From best practice visits, training days and

seminars to themed networking sessions, these events played a vital role in

the successful delivery of MAS objectives. They also helped improve skills

within the sector by disseminating industry knowledge between organisations

and encouraging peer to peer support within manufacturing.This partnership approach to deliverypermits MAS advisers to work withor through experts from industrybodies such as The Welding Institute,the National Skills Academy forManufacturing, Industry ForumNetwork and the InnovativeManufacturing Research Centres,as well as a host of other publicand private sector organisations.MAS is also explicitly targetedwith signposting clients, whereappropriate, to follow-on support atthe end of their engagement.

Partnership brings benefits to MASas well as its clients, giving thepossibility for sharing insights intomanufacturing issues and plans toaddress them and the opportunityto change the rules of engagementto remove any unnecessarybureaucracy for the client.Discussions are in progress tofurther establish formal arrangementswith a range of strategic partnersover the forthcoming year.

Run directly through MAS or via anetwork of supporting partners,event topics covered everythingfrom lean techniques for improvingdesign and productivity to regulationrefreshers on Registration,Evaluation, Authorisation andrestriction of CHemicals (REACH).

The highlight of the event calendarwas the IMechE MX Awards 2007,where two MAS assisted companieswon awards and two more werecommended. North West basedcompany MBDA won the BP Awardfor Best Partnership betweenBusiness and Education and Alitex(South East) were commended in thesame category. North East basedElfab scooped the Kellysearch Awardfor Customer Focus and for Yorkshireand Humberside The Bio D Companywere commended in the Arup Awardfor Sustainable Manufacturing.

MAS continued to build on theestablished relationship with theInstitute of Mechanical Engineering inpreparation for the 2008 awards. Assponsor of the overall award formanufacturing excellence and a keymedia partner, MAS again positioneditself as a leading force, drivingmanufacturing best practice.

The diverse programme of MAS events runs throughout the year - to find out how you can benefit visitwww.mas.berr.gov.uk or call 0845 658 9600.

effective events

Who?

MAS North East/Caterpillar

What?

Best Practice Visit - part of theNorth East Inside Industryprogramme

Where?

Caterpillar, Peterlee

When?

March 2008

Why?

It is widely considered thatsharing knowledge and adoptingbest practice leads to improvedoperational performance, whichin turn increases companycompetitiveness – both visitorsand hosts learn from theexperience.

Company

Villiers Brothers Ltd: East of England:Exquisite furniture and lighting

Project drivers

Integration of managementinformation and manufacturingsystem data was needed tostreamline the manufacturingprocess and improve overallefficiency.

MAS activity

MAS East and Business Link workedtogether, carrying out an IT audit andcompleting a full review ofmanufacturing processes across thewhole business in order to achieveintegration of the managementinformation and companymanufacturing systems - to improveefficiency, integrity of data andensure improvements right acrossthe business.

Following a number of processimprovements suggested by MAS,Villiers purchased new softwareintegrating all areas of the business,from receipt of an enquiry throughto dispatch of goods.

Results

Although still progressing throughthe implementation stage, thecompany is now starting to see thepotential advantages. The softwareallows clear interpretation ofcustomer requirements at the outset,giving sales, production andmanagement staff access to thelatest information. Removing theneed to re-key data in multiplesoftware applications brings benefitsof consistent and more accuratedata entry.

Who?

Scottish MAS

What?

Celebrating ScottishManufacturing – Two dayconference

Where?

Dunblane Hilton, Scotland

When?

October 2007

Why?

With representatives from allstakeholder organisations the twoday conference presented the bestof Scottish Manufacturing to anaudience of over 200, includingAlex Salmond, the First Minsterfor Scotland and Finance SecretaryJohn Swinney.

“A chance invitation to attend a MAS event

has proved to be priceless for our business.”

David Glennan, Managing Director, Glennans, Uttoxeter

TM Safety Signs, Taunton

Dream Racer Technology,

Market Drayton

15ambitions further information



2008 ANNUAL REPORT

14

In the year ahead, MAS aims to continue delivering its core services and reach out

to new business contacts as well as expand the benefits gained by existing clients

through an enhanced MAS offer – recognising the ambitions for MAS identified by

the then Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown in his 2006 budget speech.

Following the successful pilot ofMAS Phase 3 in 2007, April 2008marked the national roll out of theextended remit for MAS to assistwith strategic planning and skills

development; sourcing supplies,

services and equipment; theapplication of lean techniques

across the whole organisation;making supply chain

improvements and improving

resource efficiency. Deliveredthrough the same regional channelsas the existing core services, thesenew services will also be supportedwith a regional and national bestpractice factory visit programme.

This enhanced offer will help MASrise to the challenges set out in theGovernment’s new manufacturingstrategy 'Manufacturing: New

Challenges, New Opportunities'

announced in September 2008 byRt Hon John Hutton. MAS will:

• Provide seamless accessto comprehensive andstraightforward advice andsupport for skills development

• Work with the Office forRenewable Energy Deploymentto advise manufacturers on themost effective ways to exploitthe renewables market

• Help manufacturers to developand exploit their design capabilityin the global economy incollaboration with the DesignCouncil’s Designing Demandprogramme.

This revised strategy identifies anadditional £150 million of mediumterm support for UK manufacturingand outlines the Government's viewof what the sector needs for longterm success - including seizing theopportunities of the low carboneconomy, improving themanufacturing skills pool, realisingoverseas opportunities andimproving the perceptions andunderstanding of manufacturing.Perhaps of most relevance to MASis the strategy’s focus on therequirement to accelerate thedeployment of new productivity andprocess technologies.

MAS in the English Regions

0845 658 [email protected]

MAS in Scotland

0845 607 8787www.scottish-enterprise.com

MAS in Wales

01656 [email protected]

MAS Regional Centres are managed by the Regional Development Agencies and the Scottish and WelshDevolved Administrations.

For further information please go to:

England’s Regional

Development Agencies

www.englandsrdas.com

BERR

020 7215 5000or 020 7215 6740 (Minicom)[email protected]

Business Link

0845 600 9006www.businesslink.gov.uk

“Delivered through

the same regional

channels as the

existing core

services, these new

services will also

be supported with

a regional and

national best

practice factory

visit programme.”

“If in doubt, phone MAS or Business Link! Their knowledge and

experience are first-class but what really impresses me is their

ability to share their skills with us. We want to be a world-class

manufacturing company and MAS are helping us achieve our goal.”Alan Crook, Manufacturing Director, Cottam Brush, Hebburn

Company

SNA Europe (UK) Ltd: Rotherham:Band saw blades

Project drivers

Needing to tackle rising energy costsand implement recommendationsmade by a Carbon Trust review,SNA contacted MAS Yorkshire andHumberside for help in reducingenergy consumption.

MAS activity

An energy saving project helpedthe company prepare for signingthe Climate Change Agreement(CCA) with DEFRA and introducedfunding available for newequipment, such as the BREWSmall Scale Capital Grants Scheme.

Results

• Climate Change Agreement(CCA) signed with DEFRA,leading to £23,000 pa (80%)reduction in their ClimateChange Levy (CCL)

• 53 tonnes pa reduction in CO2

20annual%20report%2008

Documents

mas programme

british economy

theglobal economy

uk economy

annual report0005

business ministersince

mixedand balanced economy

high value