Ailsa Anderson, director of development at the Engineering and Manufacturing Network

Membership organisation Engineering and Manufacturing Network (EMN) is now able to offer a wider range of support and services to North East engineering and manufacturing businesses, following the addition of six companies to its affiliate board.

Absolute Quality Consultancy and Training Ltd, Fitfactory Technology Ltd, Johnston Carmichael LLP, Masfix, SMS Tech (Smart Manufacturing Solutions Technology) and Telex UK are the latest service providers to become affiliates of EMN, providing guidance, advice and support to EMN members in areas including manufacturing technology, accountancy, health and safety, accreditations, operational areas management, energy use and fixings and fasteners.

The six new affiliates join wealth management firm Brewin Dolphin, IT services provider CMYK, B2B marketing company Horizon Works, recruitment specialist Jackson Hogg, insurance broker Lockton, Lloyds Bank, commercial law firm Muckle LLP and business support organisation UMi on the affiliates board. EMN’s affiliate board, which was introduced in 2021, was developed to complement and enhance the organisation’s support for businesses and consists of companies that specialise in a variety of disciplines.

Developed from the strong engineering and manufacturing heritage of County Durham, EMN is a long-standing cross-sector network which is dedicated to building and strengthening the whole of the North East England’s engineering and manufacturing community, from SMEs to multinationals. Its membership stretches across the whole region.

EMN members can access impartial, peer-to-peer advice via its community of engineering and manufacturing businesses, and the organisation offers informed signposting and personal introductions, workshops, site visits and the annual EMCON showcase. This year, EMCON will be held on 12 September at Rainton Arena in Houghton-le-Spring. In 2023, EMCON attracted more than 900 visitors and 120 exhibitors from North East England and beyond. Around 80% of EMN’s member companies are engineering and manufacturing firms, with the rest coming from the service sector.

Ailsa Anderson, director of development at EMN, said: “We are delighted to welcome our new affiliates. EMN’s focus will always be on helping the engineering and manufacturing community in the North East to thrive, but we also know that the experience and specialist expertise offered by our select group of affiliates and service providers is of great benefit to the engineering and manufacturing community, and an integral part of running a healthy and growing business. Many of our new affiliates are already members and are deeply embedded in EMN, and we are looking forward to seeing them enrich the community even further.”

New affiliates
SMS Tech was founded in 2021 after Smart Manufacturing Solutions Ltd partnered with Scale Digital Ventures Ltd, following a connection made at the 2021 EMCON event. The Seaham-based company provides turnkey operational areas management solutions which are designed to improve efficiency and performance and reduce carbon footprints. Its offer to EMN members includes a 50% reduction of set up costs for a solution as well as 10% off an annual subscription of the system.

Absolute Quality Consultancy and Training, which is headquartered in Newcastle, offers management systems support and training. It will be providing free initial consultations to EMN members who will be able to speak to the company’s specialists about topics including business management systems, standards and certification such as ISO9001, 14001 and 45001, risk and change management, process and culture development, health and safety and training.

Fitfactory Technology Ltd, which has an office in Stockton-upon-Tees, provides award-winning manufacturing software and has supported more than 400 factories with digital transformation projects. Its MRP solution was recently awarded an Innovation Award by Make UK. The company is providing EMN members with access to a free digital transformation assessment tool, plus an exclusive 10% saving on its manufacturing and engineering software and services.

Founded in 1982, Masfix operates from an extensive premises on Newburn Industrial Estate in Newcastle, and is a distributor and solutions provider for fasteners, fixings, tools, PPE and consumables. It is offering EMN members a yearly rebate which would be offered on their spend, free access to the various Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) systems it offers (excluding vending), and free consultations which will help businesses reduce the number of vendors in their supply chains.

Telex UK, which was established in 2012 and is also based in Newcastle, offers services including energy management, energy-use analysis and advice, energy audits and monitoring. The company specialises in helping companies create and implement strategies to better manage their ongoing energy and water spend. It offers an end to end consultancy service which includes on site surveys, desktop surveys and final install and maintenance.

Completing the line-up of new affiliates is chartered accountancy and business advisory firm Johnston Carmichael LLP, which has offices in Scotland, Newcastle and London. It will provide a wide range of accountancy and business advisory services in the areas of audit and assurance, corporate tax, specialist tax (including R&D), digital transformation, outsourced finance and consultancy. It is offering a free 30min consultation with EMN members.