§ 29. Mr. PurchaseTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to improve competitiveness in manufacturing in the west midlands. [71627]
§ Mr. BattleThe Government's support to help improve the competitiveness of West Midlands manufacturing companies is extensive, focused mainly through the 10 regional Business Link partnerships. The West Midlands Regional Supply Office also provides specialist help in linking purchasers with suppliers and supply chain development with a particular focus on a number of industrial sectors.
375WSpecific initiatives to improve manufacturing performance in the West Midlands include:
The World Class Supplier—Accelerate Project. This programme is designed to improve the competitiveness of automotive component manufacturers and is supported by many of the region's major manufacturing companies. The project aims to assist over 3,000 SMEs through establishing 40 networks with the aim of safeguarding 26,000 jobs and levering £10.3 million investment.The West Midlands Manufacturing Challenge is helping companies improve by offering a free analysis of their position undertaken by a manufacturing specialist who identifies areas for improvement. To date it has assisted over 750 companies and aims to support 2,000 by the end of this year. One firm which used the programme reduced delivery times by 3 weeks and another increased productivity by 50 per cent.