Advanced Engineering showcase for Midlands

The region has continued to win massive investment from overseas, despite worries over the impact of Brexit, and continues to increase its trade overseas, says Graham Stuart.

The Minister for Investment at the Department for International Trade was speaking just before visiting the Advanced Engineering Show at Birmingham’s NEC last week.

The event attracts the leading manufacturers and innovators from across the UK but for a large proportion it is on their doorstep, as the West Midlands retains its position as a centre for the UK’s aerospace and automotive industries.

Among those making their debut at Advanced Engineering was the In-Comm Training & Manufacturing Group (TMG), which immediately drew a lot of attention for its commitment to boosting UK manufacturing’s productivity and competitive advantage.

Visitors to the show were interested in the consortium’s approach, with 10 technical partners coming together to give SME manufacturers access to world class technology and business and learning support that can bridge the skills gap, increase R&D and help them embrace Industry 4.0.

Over 150 members have already signed up to receive discounted access to 100 upskilling training courses, networking events and access to grant and funding opportunities, with another ten live enquiries being taken during the two-day event.

Cassie Grillo, Business Development Executive at TMG, commented: “We had a fantastic few days in Birmingham and it was great to showcase exactly what we are trying to do as a group and how it can benefit manufacturers.

“There was a lot of interest in joining the group and we also had a college show an interest, as they had not heard of another organisation that is adopting this approach and has access to so much expertise.”

She continued: “We spoke to a lot of students who are interested in apprenticeships and informed them of the In-Comm Technical Academy in Aldridge and our two Marches Centre of Manufacturing & Technology sites in Bridgnorth and Shrewsbury.”

TMG, which is a not for profit organisation, has varying levels of membership ensuring that the group is open to all, from small businesses just starting out, through to multi-national companies with multiple facilities across the world.

Members also cover a wide range of engineering and manufacturing sectors from automotive and aerospace to oil and gas and nuclear, with the most recent additions, including Scanmetals UK Ltd, GFP Engineering and Alwayse Engineering.

The full list of technical partners include Blum-Novotest, Ceratizit WNT, Engineering Technology Group, FBC Manby Bowdler, Guhring, Hexagon, HK3D, Hyfore Workholding, In-Comm Training and Moore Stephens.

To find out more about the In-Comm Training and Manufacturing Group please visit www.in-comm-tmg.co.uk or follow @InCommTMG on twitter.