West Midlands and Liverpool City Region Scheme Launched
Liverpool City Region LEP, alongside three Midland based LEPs (Black Country, Coventry and Warwickshire and Greater Birmingham and Solihull), have launched a further round of the sub regional Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative (AMSCI) Fund.
This local scheme will see £19 million available to companies that want to create globally competitive supply chains covering aerospace and automotive , and forms part of the original Regional Growth Fund (RGF) bid from the four LEPs launched last year. It is delivered in partnership with the Technology Strategy Board – the UK’s innovation agency – on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Alan Welby, Key Growth Sector Director for the LEP said: “This round is a much more simplified and will enable more companies to benefit from the fund. Now, instead of just submitting a full application, a local LEP representative will support a Company to help them to submit an initial Expressions of Interest. These will then be assessed with feedback provided which will determine whether they should progress to submit a full application.”
One successful company was NGF EUROPE Limited, part of the NSG Group, who secured monies from the local AMSCI Fund in Round 1 to bring the production of high-strength glass fibre cord to the UK for the very first time.
Alistair Poole, Managing Director NGF EUROPE Limited said: “The AMSCI money has allowed us to bring the production of high-strength glass fibre cord to the UK for the very first time ensuring that our business remains at the forefront of technological development and is able to respond to customer demands and expectations.”
Alan added: “Our continuing strategy for the advanced manufacturing supply chain aims to make our manufacturing base globally competitive. This fund will allow the City Region to further develop supply chains around successful local companies and also bring global supply back closer to the Prime point of manufacture. This means more jobs and growing companies.”