Trevor Cassie, group operations director of Burnley-based BCW Engineering, has joined the board of Made Smarter North West (
www.madesmarter.uk), a recently launched initiative to help the region’s manufacturers adopt digital technologies.
Mr Cassie and his colleagues will monitor the progress of a pilot project and report on their findings to assist the proposed national roll-out of the Made Smarter concept.
Their remit will also include promoting Made Smarter and strengthening relationships betweenthe support programme and other partners working in the advanced manufacturing sector in the North West.
Mr Cassie (
www.bcw-manufacturing-group.co.uk) said: “With the progression of digitalisation in manufacturing, there are exciting times ahead for firms in Lancashire and the wider North West.
I am greatly looking forward to being part of the Made Smarter team.”
The Made Smarter initiative, officially launched before Christmas in Liverpool, is backed by the Government and some of the world’s largest businesses.
It is set to engage with 3,000 SME manufacturers based in Cheshire and Warrington, Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Manchester and the Liverpool City Region, in order to boost their productivity.
Companies that get involved in the project will be able to access support and advice on how new technologies could revolutionise their manufacturing processes and increase their production.
Around 600 companies will also qualify for more-intensive support, gaining access to match-funded grants, bespoke consultancy, mentoring and other resources.
It is anticipated that by becoming a test-bed for new types of technologies and advanced processes, the region’s manufacturing sector could generate a 25% increase in productivity and add £115 million to the North West economy.