Innovation Support Programme for the UK Metals Sector
29/02/2016 The Centre for Process Innovation (CPI)
The Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) in collaboration with the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) is offering a fully-funded Innovation Support Programme to guide SME businesses through the process of innovation. The UK Metals sector is going through significant market changes, so innovative products and process improvements to help companies adapt, survive and grow are needed urgently, the 3-stage programme is fully funded by the Department for Business Innovation & Skills (BIS) and is available to SME businesses involved in the metals processing sector in the UK. Further funding will also be available for the implementation of individual innovation plans and for attendance at the training coursesThis support programme exists to help identify and implement the next generation of processes and manufacturing technologies that will prepare them for the future. Our extensive track record in innovation can bring insights from other industries as well as directly helping companies. CPI's approach to innovation is systematic and simple, allowing companies to implement their plans efficiently and with fewer risks. CPI have worked with over 2000 partners to date to develop their business models and realise value quickly and effectively. We will work closely with our innovation collaborators in the North East of England and with other centres in the High Value Manufacturing Catapult across the UK, who will contribute to the delivery of the project. Importantly, this programme aims to improve innovation processes and give participating companies the opportunity to develop new projects that will prepare them for the future.
The Innovation Support Programme is aimed mainly at small and medium sized businesses operating across the UK's Metals processing supply chain, and consists of three components:
1. The Innovation Integrator® - a diagnostic business tool
At the core of this support programme will be a highly structured proprietary diagnostic business tool, which has been developed by CPI and is based on its extensive experience across various sectors and technologies of driving collaborative innovation.
The Innovation Integrator® diagnostic tool gives partners a capability roadmap to help drive innovation in complex market environments. The 11 factors assessed by the tool are all required to enable effective innovation. Each factor is as important as the next and all 11 factors must be covered for innovation to stick and create extra profit for the partner. A company, business concept or even an emerging technology can be assessed using the Innovation Integrator® through a focussed face to face Q&A session (taking between 2 - 4 hours) with CPI's experts and collaborative partners.
The Innovation Integrator® assessment is based on the competencies and skills that have been identified as the essential elements and success factors of an innovation business plan and their relative strengths are evaluated by CPI's software model during the assessment process. Fig. 2 shows an example of a section from the innovation integrator business plan which summarises the scoring of the diagnosis in a spider diagram, including the suggested actions/priorities required.
The 3 key outputs of the diagnostic tool are:
-€¢An assessment of the partner's readiness to implement an innovation.
-€¢An outline innovation plan that shows the main elements required for successful implementation of the innovation.
-€¢An opportunity to secure funding support to develop a full innovation implementation plan by working with CPI and its partners to realise the collaborative benefit in a structured way. This output will be supported by CPI's extensive network and experience in delivering innovation
2. Communities of Practice
There are also opportunities for partners to join a relevant 'Community of Practice', which will promote the sharing of knowledge between like-minded companies and technology providers that are looking to create extra value through collaboration to accelerate their learning and innovation. These communities will be fully funded by the support programme, and will be hosted by CPI or by other open-access technology providers.
3. Re-training and up-skilling courses
Finally, partner companies will have the option to enrol their staff in re-training and up-skilling courses to improve their capacity to innovate and increase their flexibility in dealing with new technical requirements from the marketplace. These courses will be fully funded by the support programme, and provided by CPI and its technology partners.
"Innovation will be key to securing a more sustainable future for our metals industries which is why the government is backing the sector with this scheme. I am pleased this funding is going to CPI which is based in Redcar, following the recent closure of the steelworks there, and hope it can help the supply chain there and throughout the UK."
Business Minister, Anna Soubry
This Support Programme will be provided under the De Minimis Aid Scheme. Under this scheme companies can receive up to -‚¬200,000 De Minimis Aid over a 3 year fiscal period. Prior to receiving the support you will be required to complete a short eligibility form.
For more information, please contact:
The Centre for Process Innovation (CPI)
Wilton Centre
Wilton
Redcar
Cleveland
TS10 4RF
Tel: +44 (0)1642 455340
Fax: +44 (0)1642 447298
Email: info@uk-cpi.com
Web: www.uk-cpi.com
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