It is well known that manufacturing has always been at the heart of the East Midlands economy. What is, perhaps, less-known is how many smaller businesses make up the manufacturing sector in our region. According to Nomis, the UK’s largest independent producer of official statistics provided by the Office for National Statistics, the number of small and micro businesses that make up the overall manufacturing sector is between 92% in Derbyshire and 95% in Nottingham, with Derby, Leicester, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire all falling somewhere in between.

That’s why the Chamber is backing smaller manufacturers in particular – not just through the East Midlands Manufacturing Network but also through the new Accelerator project.

Accelerator, a project funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), helps manufacturers across the East Midlands to start, sustain, grow and innovate. Fully funded and tailored to the needs of each participating district across the region, the project provides manufacturers with support that leaves a lasting impact on their business plan whether it be Business or Innovation Adviser support, action planning workshops and webinars, access to finance, or energy audits.

The project offers:

1. Action planning workshops on digital, finance and HR
2. Import and export support  
3. Support for food and drink manufacturers
4. Sustainability webinars

Book onto an upcoming Accelerator workshop here: https://bit.ly/AcceleratorEvents or sign up for business adviser support at: www.d2n2growthhub.co.uk/accelerator.