New help for manufacturers could generate £1.5bn growth and create 23,000 jobs

14 October 2011

A new nationally operated Manufacturing Advisory Service will focus on helping small and medium sized manufacturers to grow, Business Minister Mark Prisk has announced. The new service will be delivered by the Manufacturing Advisory Consortium (MAC) and will help create an estimated £1.5bn in economic growth, 23,000 jobs and safeguard 50,000 jobs.

Mark Prisk

The Manufacturing Advisory Service will continue to deliver a national service to all manufacturing businesses in England but the new consortium now means that there will be a specific focus on:

- driving business growth through strategic and technical support for SMEs developing advanced manufacturing capabilities and creating high value jobs

- enabling business improvement with manufacturers operating in global supply chains; and

- linking SMEs with the apprenticeship programme delivering a minimum of 1,250 engineering and manufacturing apprenticeships annually.