Manufacturing Links in the Black Country bringing firms together
A new group has been set up by a string of manufacturing companies and the Black Country Chamber to provide help and support to the area's small engineering firms.
Karen Hughes of Harco Engineering in Brierley Hill is working with colleagues at firms including Phoenix Calibration, Eurocraft Enclosures, Thomas Dudley and Rimstock to bring together manufacturing firms to share advice and even find ways to work together to win new contracts.
Called Manufacturing Links in the Black Country, the group was launched last summer and is now is working hard to attract new delegates.
Karen, who runs Harco with her husband Martyn, said: "There are lots of events where marketing people, accountants or lawyers turn up, but this is just for engineers and manufacturers.
"The aim is to bring people together to hear speakers and discuss issues that are important to manufacturing - we even try to make sure we hold the meetings at places that manufacturers will find interesting.
"We've already had tours of the factories at Thomas Dudley and Eurocraft.
"People running manufacturing companies are so busy, and so intent on getting on with their work, they don't feel they can spare time to go out to meetings.
"But when they do turn up and talk about some of the problems they are having, they often find another company that has the same issues and might be able to help them.
"It is also a great opportunity to promote manufacturing in the Black Country."
The group has been set up under the umbrella of the Black Country Chamber of Commerce with Kevin O'Toole, managing director of Eurocraft in Dudley, as chairman of its steering group of members.
The chamber's head of membership, Lisa Nicholson said: "We wanted to set up a group that was purely for manufacturers, where they could network with each other and share problems and solutions.
"Manufacturing Links is very much aimed at smaller companies, who are so important to the local economy. They make up around 20 per cent of our membership."
The next Manufacturing Links in the Black Country meeting is set to take place on March 13. For more details, contact Lisa Nicholson on 0845 8724 290 or email: LisaNicholson@blackcountrychamber.co.uk.
