Manufacturing Champions - Growing through new markets
Date: 5th June 2019
Location: Whitecroft Lighting, Burlington Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL7 0AX
Time:
8:00am -
2:00pm
Theme:
Operational efficiency, Open new markets & Export, Digital & Technology
Sorry this event has already taken place - please see our forthcoming events list
Hosted by:
Book your free place at the next Manufacturing Champions event - connecting leaders from small and medium sized enterprises with our Champions from the manufacturing and engineering sectors.
During the session you'll hear from Julie Graham of Distinction Consulting and Nicole Whittingham of Wilson Cooke who will lead on a session focused on doubling growth through intelligence, insight and informed marketing strategy. This 60 min session will use an SME manufacturer as a genuine case study to demonstrate:
• The importance of research in identifying, understanding and developing new markets
• How increased customer and market knowledge informs the creation of a robust market entry strategy
• The importance of the effective execution of marketing strategy for business growth
The session will also feature a workshop exercise which has been designed to help delegates to identify, understand and enter a new market for their own organisations.
Delegates will learn:
- How to undertake effective research to identify new market opportunities
- How to apply the findings from research to develop market entry strategy
- How to execute marketing strategy, including digital, and what best practice looks like
The Manufacturing Champions will talk about their experiences in identifying and developing new markets and will share best practice.
The event will close with a tour of the Whitecroft Lighting facility, which will demonstrate some of the topics discussed during the event.
Champions in attendance
Leanne Holmes
Site Managing Director & Operations Director, Crane Payment Innovations
Dr Paul Hunt CSi CChem
R&D Director, Victrex plc
Andrew Peters
Managing Director, Siemens Digital Factory
Confirmed Speakers

Julie Graham – Brand Strategist & Expert in Insight for Growth
Julie is a brand strategist and expert in helping businesses realise their strategic goals by making decisions driven by Insight and intelligence. With over 25 years’ cross-sector experience, her work leads to improved marketing capability and financial performance.
Julie has a Master’s Degree in Marketing Management (with Distinction) from Lancaster University, and is a Chartered Marketer. Her company Distinction Consulting has been ranked ‘One of the UK’s Top Management Consulting Companies’ 2018 and 2019 by the Financial Times.

Nicole Whittingham – Brand, Digital & Integrated Marketing Expert
Nicole is an action-centred marketer. With a marketing degree, over 20 years’ digital and traditional marketing experience across multiple sectors, including manufacturing, she is passionate about adding measurable value for her clients. In 2001, she led the Management Buy Out of Wilson Cooke, a best practice Integrated Marketing Agency and remains a shareholder and Director of the 23 strong team.
Event booking notice
Places at this event are extremely limited, and are restricted to one delegate per company. Non-manufacturers will not be permitted to attend.
Please note:
Our workshops are part-funded by European Regional Development Funds.
Our workshops are delivered free of charge to participants; however, as they are fully-funded, they are classed as state aid to participating businesses and are subject to state aid rules and the associated eligibility criteria.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Location: GM manufacturing clients
- SME: Small or medium enterprise i.e. less than 250 (Full Time Equivalent) employees and annual turnover less than 50 Million Euro OR Balance Sheet less than 43 million Euro
- Sector Restrictions may also apply
Event Image Gallery
Agenda
08:00 | Registration, Networking and Refreshments |
08:30 | Welcome and Introduction, Anne Campion, Manufacturing Lead, GC Business Growth Hub |
08:40 | Host Introduction, Whitecroft Lighting |
08:55 | Doubling Sales Through Intelligence, Insight and Informed Marketing Strategy: A Case Study, Julie Graham, Distinction Marketing Ltd & Nicole Whittingham, Wilson Cooke |
10:30 | Q&A with refreshments |
10:45 | A Business Case Study, Whitecroft Lighting |
11:15 | Perspectives from the Manufacturing Champions |
12:00 | Lunch |
13:00 | Factory Tour |
14:00 | Event Close |