Farron challenges South Lakes businesses to UK's top manufacturer

Cumbria MP, Tim Farron is today calling on business across the South Lakes to take part in a programme to find the UK's top manufacturer. Manufacturing Excellence from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers offers £20,000 worth of free consultancy to all businesses that enter

Manufacturing Excellence 2012 is a UK-wide awards programme, run by theInstituteofMechanical Engineers, which not only identifies and celebrates outstandingUKmanufacturing businesses but also invests in the winning companies by providing consultancy support to help them improve.

Past winners have shown that by taking part and adopting best practice they can thrive, grow and become global players. Applications need to be submitted by 1 June 2012.

The Institution of Mechanical Engineers has over 100,000 members working in over 19,000 different companies.

With a 30 year history, Manufacturing Excellence is the most successful and long established manufacturing awards programme in theUK, and the only one that provides such a detailed benchmarking and assessment process to help improve your business.

Manufacturing Excellence 2012 is run in partnership with The ERA Foundation, Lombard and WMG and sponsored by Arup.

As well as Awards for Best Manufacturer and Best SME, categories for this year are: Business Development and Change Management; Customer Focus; Financial Management; Innovation in Products and Processes; Logistics and Operational Efficiency; Partnership with Education; People Effectiveness; Sustainable Manufacturing; and Most Improved Company.

Manufacturing Excellence works with all manufacturing businesses, whatever their size, age, sector or area of expertise to help improve their processes and showcase their successes and innovations.

Commenting this afternoon Tim said: "Manufacturing is the economic backbone of the UK and I believe that some of the best manufacturing businesses in the UK, such as Gilkes and James Cropper PLC, are right here in the South Lakes. This programme is a fantastic opportunity for these businesses, big or small, to get involved for free and potentially win an incredible £20,000 worth of free consultancy advice as well as national recognition.

"I want to encourage local manufacturing businesses to get involved for the chance to win at the prestigious Manufacturing Excellence Awards in November and ensure that the South Lakes is at the heart of the country's manufacturing resurgence, firmly putting the South Lakes on the manufacturing map!"