Additive Manufacturing Solutions, FDM Digital Solutions and Fusion Implants have all secured backing from Made Smarter.
The trio will be using a grant from the UK government-funded adoption programme to invest in new technologies.
Made Smarter is the UK national industrial digitalisation movement set up to accelerate the digital transformation among SME manufacturers. This latest funding means Made Smarter has now invested 25m GBP in new technologies in the North West of England.
In total, 330 businesses have secured 7.1m GBP matched funding from the government-funded, industry-backed initiative over the last six years, adopting technologies as diverse as sensors, robotics, 3D printing and artificial intelligence (AI).
These companies have put 18m GBP of private sector investment towards 379 technology projects which are forecast to create over 1,700 new jobs - an average of five each - and upskill 3,200 existing roles - almost 10 per business. The investments in technology and people are also set to add 267m GBP to the economy over the next three years.
Katie Higham, Chief Operations Officer at Additive Manufacturing Solutions, said: “The grant funding has enabled purchase of game-changing technology to increase our offering in the world of additive manufacturing. This has made us more productive through end-to-end digitalisation of our manufacturing processes. The support we have received from Made Smarter has been crucial to enhance our in-house technological capabilities, while supporting our digital transformation and upskilling our staff.”
Donna Edwards, Director of the Made Smarter Adoption Programme in the North West, added: “These technology projects will have a tremendous impact on individuals, businesses, the sector and society. They will boost efficiency, productivity and growth, creating new jobs and upskilling existing roles, all while shifting the dial on creating a more sustainable approach to manufacturing. I welcome these 23 companies into the Made Smarter family. Alongside the hundreds who have already reaped the rewards of the adoption programme, we have now invested over £25m into the digital transformation of the sector. Celebrating milestones is important. It permits my fantastic team to take stock of the achievement and then commit to improving the services we offer to continue the Made Smarter mission.”
As well as grants, Made Smarter offers SME manufacturers access to funded support including digital transformation workshops to create a digital roadmap, impartial and expert technology advice, and leadership and skills training.