Supply Chain Transition Programme
Diversify your customer base by winning new orders in growing sectors.
Delivered with
Funded by
About the programme
The Supply Chain Transition Programme is funded by West Midlands Investment Zone (WMIZ) and aims to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the West Midlands (WM) to diversify their customer base by winning new orders in growing areas of the economy. It will do this through a combination of workshops, intensive one-to-one coaching with supply chain specialists, training, and access to R&D grant funding.
The programme will help manufacturing firms to innovate and develop new products to supply Key Customers in the priority clusters in the Plan for Growth.
The programme will have economic impact for the West Midlands through a variety of outputs, including:
- Increased value and volume of sales with new customers operating in the priority and nascent clusters defined in the WM Plan for Growth
- Increased and safeguarded jobs
- Provision of support that develops the region’s advanced manufacturing sector
The programme is funded through the West Midlands Investment Zone (WMIZ) programme. Learn more about the WMIZ programme.
How the programme supports SMEs
The IZ Supply Chain Transition Programme will support WM manufacturing SMEs in a variety of ways, including for example:
- Specialist 121 support to generate a focused Action Plan
- Supporting Research & Development Grant Applications
- A program of accredited Level 4 and 5 training aligned with business action plan
- Risk analysis, mitigation, prevention, and planning.
- Enhance the capacity and/or capability of the management team and board of directors.
- Mentoring
- Opportunities to connect with buyers and Key Customers
- Peer to peer learning
How is it delivered?
The delivery partner, Supply Smarter West Midlands Consortium, brings together 6 partners with extensive, industry-relevant expertise spanning advanced manufacturing research, development, innovation, and training;
- C&W Business Solutions (leading),
- Manufacturing Technology Centre,
- WMG at University of Warwick,
- Birmingham City University,
- Coventry University
- and University of Wolverhampton.
Investment Zone Supply Chain Transition programme will focus on the 5 clusters detailed below. Underlying these sectors will be the support to develop digital capabilities and workforce skills to improve international competitiveness and drive industrial transformation.
How can your register your interest?
Complete the short form at the bottom of the page to register your interest in any of the sector cohorts. You can also contact the programme provider directly by emailing supplychains@cwgrowthhub.co.uk.
Programme sectors
Health tech & med tech
Taking advantage of the West Midlands' fast growing med tech and health tech economy, business pivoting to developing products and services to supply these clusters will be supported by Birmingham City University, which is renowned for its connections with industry and health sectors. Collaborations with NHS Hospital Trusts will help programme participants to solve product adoption challenges and help Key Customers benefit from SME-led agility in prototyping, testing, and meeting underserved needs across respiratory, dental, and surgical solutions.
Manufacture of future housing & other green industries
Supporting programme participants diversification into these clusters will be experts from the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) and Birmingham City University’s Centre for Future Homes, which is focused on researching and developing sustainable and cost-effective solutions for the future of housing. Key Customers, such as housing developers and local authorities will benefit from connection to agile SMEs for long-term collaboration and harnessing interoperability and digital design tool innovation opportunities.
Smart energy systems
With high demand for digital solutions and AI-driven energy optimisation in manufacturing, SMEs with innovative products and services to develop smart energy systems will be supported by University of Wolverhampton, which is actively involved in this cluster, with projects focused on reducing carbon emissions by implementing multi-technology energy solutions. Key customers in manufacturing and infrastructure will benefit from reduced energy waste, improved resilience, compliance with decarbonisation goals, and building long-term collaborations with energy tech SMEs.
Aerospace
SMEs with the capabilities to diversify into supplying the aerospace industry will benefit from the world-class expertise of the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), amongst other programme partners, and will be supported in their transformation journey to develop products and services to solve the challenges facing the industry, including including digitalisation, lightweight materials, and development opportunities arising from growth of unmanned systems. Key customers will benefit from a growing regional manufacturing base that can reduce lead times and address cost challenges from global disruptions.
Electric light vehicles and battery manufacturing
The IZ Supply Chain Transition Programme will enable SMEs diversifying into these emerging supply chains to benefit from the West Midlands' world-class ELV and battery R&D ecosystem, leveraging the expertise of Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), together with academics from Coventry University, where The National Transport Design Centre (NTDC) - a state-of-the-art facility operating within the Centre for Future Transport and Cities – is based. With rising demand for battery testing, second-life applications, and sustainable recycling, there are opportunities for innovation-led partnerships, whilst Key Customers and Tier 1 suppliers can collaborate with agile SMEs to identify and fulfil emerging and future supply chain requirements.
How to join the programme
Complete the short form below to alert a Business Adviser to your interest in any stream of this programme. Or email supplychains@cwgrowthhub.co.uk.
Contact us about this programme today.
Complete this form to alert a local Business Growth West Midlands Adviser to your interest in this programme. They will be in touch with the appropriate information and support for this programme, as well as personalised recommendations of other opportunities you could benefit from.
Third party programme information is correct at the time of publishing. We review and update our pages periodically to keep them as up to date as possible.
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