Stephen Boyt, Director at Delta Balustrades

Manufacturers in Cheshire have until March 2021 to access up to £9,000 in grants to support growth projects, with the help of the Manufacturing Growth Fund.

The Fund was set up to support small and medium sized manufacturers that are looking to increase production capacity, streamline manufacturing processes, drive innovation and access new markets. It is delivered by The Growth Company and part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

The grants of between £3,000 and £9,000 are available to cover up to 36% of the costs of five project types, supporting activity in Sales & Marketing, Innovation, IT, Systems and Operations.

Eligible projects are those with a value of up to £24,999 that drive up productivity, lead to job creation or help to develop new products and services and bring them to market.

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Amongst more than 300 businesses to have benefitted from the Fund so far is Delta Balustrades, from Sandbach. They design, manufacture and install bespoke glass balustrades and were looking to move to offsite Modern Methods of Manufacture (MMC) techniques but needed support with market research.

The company was able to access funding to support research of the sector and identification of the products that could be built off-site in this way. As a result, Delta has undertaken emerging market opportunity assessments and looked at the future opportunities available in the UK and international markets.

Stephen Boyt, Director at Delta Balustrades said: “Phil Anders at the Manufacturing Growth Fund has built a long-term relationship with our business and understands our challenges, and how we are constantly innovating and developing new products.

“We wanted to develop a new product for the emerging MMC market and a project to develop market knowledge through research was the identified way forward. Following a very successful project, we have developed a new balustrade, Konnekt, which simplifies on-site balustrade installation and achieves maximum off-site construction in line with MMC objectives.

“Receiving 36% of the costs towards this game-changing project has enabled us to speed up the development of the product for the marketplace. Applying for the grant was quick and easy, and we got a decision almost immediately.”

Phil Anders, Manufacturing Advisor for the Manufacturing Growth Fund – Cheshire and Warrington, said: “Konnekt shows the kind of success that manufacturers can have with projects supported by the Manufacturing Growth Fund. Delta Balustrades have already been able to take on a new salesperson to help drive sales of this new product and are well-placed to expand even further.

“The impact of COVID-19 might mean that some manufacturing SMEs are unsure how to get back to growth, but we can also offer impartial expert advice to help assess the opportunities and barriers, as well as offering a grant towards the cost of equipment or bringing in specialist expertise. If you want to find new ways to help your business thrive in the aftermath of this pandemic, please get in touch.”

For more information about the Manufacturing Growth Fund visit www.manufacturingnorthwest.com or contact Phil Anders at [email protected] or 07718 113 509.

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