Website launches improvements

Midlands manufacturers are just a click away from a major improvement to the online service from the region's Manufacturing Advisory Service, based on Wolverhampton Science Park.

The MAS-WM website, www.mas-wm.org has undergone a thorough overhaul in a bid to improve access to manufacturing advice and information for businesses in the region and to encourage greater productivity through the adoption of worldwide standards of best practice.

The new case study-driven site is up and running now and offers visitors an informative front page featuring links to latest news from MAS, details of events and workshops and the latest newsletter.

Other site areas include information about the MAS enhanced and extended service offer, downloadable information and an area detailing manufacturing, supplier and staff opportunities.

Visitors who register receive a copy of John Bicheno's acclaimed business reference work The New Lean Toolbox: Towards Fast Flexible Flow.

Lean is a system of working tools originally developed by Toyota to streamline the manufacturing process and to help reduce waste.

MAS-WM's Paula Hampton said: "We have taken the opportunity to refresh the website and build on the areas that manufacturers tell us they find useful. We wanted to make it much more interactive and to raise awareness of the enhanced and expanded services that MAS can offer manufacturers.

"The site already receives thousands of hits every month, but we saw an opportunity to make it more accessible and more relevant to the needs of regional manufacturers."

"Companies tell us that reading our case studies inspires them to contact MAS and to make much needed business improvements. With this in mind we took the bold decision to restructure the website around our case studies and we have plans to develop this feature even further.

The new site was designed and built by Leader Communications. Neil Clarke, senior designer and account manager at the Henley-in-Arden based consultancy said: "We are delighted with the new site. The new accessibility functions make it easy to navigate and find exactly what you're looking for.

"In addition the site adheres to level one of the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) accessibility guidelines and is compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act."

Established in 2002, MAS-WM has assisted more than 4,000 manufacturing companies to improve manufacturing efficiencies, adding £108m to the turnover of these businesses in the process.