New advisory body fills gap left by defunct MAS
AHELP desk has been relaunched in a bid to fill the void left by the origjnal Manufacturing Advisory Service.
Membership body Made in the Midlands is behind the launch of the new online help desk which it is also calling Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS).
The government pulled the plug on the Business Growth Service in November 2015 which included MAS and had funding support worth up to £125 million.
Made in the Midlands said emerged at a meeting of its members earlier this year that the main area of concern among manufacturers was a lack of awareness of where to turn for help.
Charles Addison, business development director with Made in the Midlands, said: “When the original Manufacturing Advisory Service closed due to lack of funding, it left a gap in the manufacturing industry. it “Prompted by the uncertainty surrounding the Government’s industrial strategy, we gathered a coalition of our members to see what could be done about the industry’s uncertainty concerning who to turn to for advice and for help navigating the innovation minefield. “It became clear there was the technical capability and industry knowledge among our members and the capacity in the Made in the Midlands team to combine efforts and launch MAS.” The body’s chairman, former Bir- mingham City Council leader Lord Whitby, added: “Manufacturing contributes over ten per cent to Britain’s GDP and the Midlands’ contribution is even more significant.
“It’s vital the sector continues to grow but one of the biggest challenges the sector is currently facing is a lag between true entrepreneurship and access to financial support.
“It’s essential we share experience and the financial sector becomes more transparent about why funding may be denied or take so long to be granted.
“The launch is a great step towards a strong future of growth for Britain’s manufacturing industry.”