Nearly 1,000 jobs to be created by Industry 4.0 project
2 July 2019
LCR4.0, a landmark business support programme which helped almost 300 SMEs in the Liverpool City Region to capitalise on Industry 4.0 technologies, has been hailed for its ongoing impact.
The EU-funded programme has already created 80 new jobs and added £2.6 million in gross value added (GVA) to Liverpool City Region’s economy. These numbers are expected to rise to 955 and £31 million respectively over the next three years alone.
Working collaboratively with local manufacturers, the programme aimed to provide tools and resources to explore the productivity-enhancing and efficiency-boosting opportunities presented by Industry 4.0 - such as big data, systems integration, Internet of Things (IoT), augmented reality (AR) and 3D printing.
A recent survey of businesses who used the support found that 82 per cent had changed their understanding of Industry 4.0. Two thirds said it had helped them to bring a product to market quicker, over 8 in 10 said innovative capacity had been enhanced, and three quarters said they were now more ambitious.
SMEs are now being encouraged to get involved with Made Smarter UK – a North West-wide initiative set to engage with 3,000 manufacturers to embed advanced digital technology across the manufacturing sector.
The LCR 4.0 team including Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotherham (centre) and Chief Executive Simon Reid (right)
Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotherham said:
“We’re well on our way to fulfil our potential as a hub of advanced manufacturing. What we need now is to collaborate and embrace new techniques and processes which will drive growth. The £20 million Made Smarter initiative will follow in LCR 4.0’s footsteps and offer hundreds of SME manufacturers the chance to do just that, backed by a programme of guidance, advice and grants.”
To find out how to get involved in Made Smarter, visit www.madesmarter.uk.
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