A £6.1 million grant has been approved for a three-year extension of a UK initiative that has already assisted 2,500 SME manufacturers in adopting new digital technologies and skills to spur growth and employment.

Small and medium-sized businesses in the North West of the country have benefited from Made Smarter's adoption program by receiving expert guidance and a digital roadmap to help them choose the best strategy, degree of investment, and tools for their operations.

Over 250 of them, many of which are in the textile industry, have made investments in cutting-edge technology, from software and sensors to robotics and extended reality, in an effort to become more effective, build resilience, increase their productivity and grow sustainably.

These companies include like Lantex, a textile producer in Accrington, Panaz, a leading provider of premium decorative fabrics and wallcoverings with headquarters in Burnley, Derek Rose, a specialized manufacturer of nightwear, loungewear, and leisurewear with headquarters in Congleton, and others.

As a result, Made Smarter-supported businesses are expected to bring an additional £176 million in gross value to the local economy, generate 1,250 new employment, upskill nearly 2,300 current positions, and assist the UK in reaching its net zero goal by 2050.

Now, Made Smarter will step up its effort to help hundreds more SMEs join the industry 4.0 movement.

The Made Smarter adoption program has continued to be rolled out nationally and now encompasses the West of England and East Midlands as a result of the North West's pioneering efforts. Together, they form the West Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber, and the North East.

Alain Dilworth, program manager for the Made Smarter Adoption Programme in the North West, said that he is delighted that the Government has recognized the extraordinary impact that Made Smarter's adoption program is having on the digitalization of SME businesses and the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies in the North West. While UK manufacturing survived the epidemic and is attempting to recover, it is also preparing for additional difficult times and impending economic hiccups. Digital technologies present organizations with the opportunity to strengthen resilience, innovate, and transform, which is their rallying cry to manufacturers. Manufacturing companies can differentiate themselves from rivals in a competitive market by using digital technologies to produce goods that are speedier, more reasonably priced, and more effective.