The DTI Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) is an innovative new service providing practical advice and hands-on support to help manufacturers move up the value chain, improve their productivity and increase profitability.

Support Group Consulting has been accredited as a Centre for Expertise in Manufacturing (CEM) under the DTI Manufacturing Advisory Service Scheme. As a CEM Support Group are able to offer services to manufacturing organisations in the Yorkshire and Humberside region, with funding available for work carried out.

The Support Group with funding from MAS can provide solutions to organisations indeveloping:

• Manufacturing strategy and leadership

• Process Improvement

• Technical and materials issues

• Lean Manufacturing

• Manufacturing control and factory layout

• Managing organisational ‘change’

• Product Development

• Process analysis

• Improving workforce productivity

• Continuous Improvement ......etc.

There are a number of ways that Support Group Consulting and MAS can directly help with the above, including:

• Free manufacturing advice

• Free one-day diagnostic reviews of your manufacturing operation

• Up to one-day free technical research

• Access to manufacturing improvement events, workshops and networks

• Grants of up to 50% to support a manufacturing specialist’s fees, helping you to implement manufacturing improvements in your business

• Access to free bi-monthly e-bulletins keeping you up to date about markets and technology, grants and local manufacturing events

Ultimately, MAS wants to ensure that manufacturing businesses in the region get the support they need to ‘make a difference'. We will achieve this by assisting them to source the right organisations or individuals to deal with their manufacturing needs, quality assuring all manufacturing specialists which work with us to deliver MAS supported services, and part-fund using grants, improvement work which is delivered in local manufacturing businesses.