SME manufacturers across Cumbria have invested £2.7 million in new technology, supported by Made Smarter’s adoption programme in the North West.
More than 40 businesses in the county have secured over £900,000 in matched funding from the government-funded, industry-backed initiative, adopting diverse technologies such as sensors, robotics, 3D printing and artificial intelligence.
Backed by £1.8 million of private investment, these manufacturers are forecasting the creation of 129 jobs and 226 upskilled roles, boosting the county’s economy by £24.6 million.
Six Cumbrian manufacturers are among the latest SMEs to join the Made Smarter programme, which now supports more than 300 SMEs across the country.
The six new additions from Cumbria are:
- Kong Climbing, a climbing wall manufacturer and visitor centre in Keswick.
- Contour Campervan Furniture, a campervan designer and manufacturer of bespoke furniture, based in Kendal.
- Crown Woodworks, a bespoke cabinetry and joinery manufacturer in Carlisle.
- Solway Group International, manufacturers of show jumping, stable and yard equipment, based in Carlisle.
- Harbourside Products, food manufacturers in Maryport.
- Northern Pasta Company, food manufacturers in Kendal.
Paul Ward, general manager of Kong Climbing said: “The impact of Made Smarter’s support cannot be overstated.
“We are now better equipped to tackle challenges, explore new opportunities and make a lasting impact in our field.”
Contour Campervan Furniture co-founders Caitlin Green and Tom Lake said: “This technology has enabled us to bring production of our birch plywood campervan furniture in-house.
“We can now produce more, have improved quality control over our product, and are able to innovate and create new products much more quickly.
“This has helped us to create jobs, made us a more profitable company and significantly reduced our lead times for our shipped flat-pack campervan furniture.”
Donna Edwards, director of the Made Smarter adoption programme in the North West said: “I am incredibly proud of what the Made Smarter team has achieved over the last five years.
“These milestones are simultaneously a moment to celebrate, as well as a reminder that our work is by no means done.
“Our mission is to engage with the thousands of manufacturers out there who we are certain could benefit from our support. As such we are redoubling our efforts to reach more businesses, and to inspire and inform them about the benefits of technology adoption.
“For many this may be helping them take the first step to digitise manual and paper-based systems or using sensors to capture vital production data. But for others with a digital infrastructure in place, they may be ready for more sophisticated, boundary-pushing technologies such as analytics, machine learning and AI, which are evolving at unprecedented speed.
“Digital isn’t coming – it’s arrived. Adopting technologies at the right time and in the right way is the key to unlocking real benefits for industry, society and the planet.”
