There are about 14,000 manufacturing businesses in the East of England and over 80% of them employ fewer than 20 people.
The manufacturing sector in Breckland underpins our economy, with significant areas of the sector located in Thetford and Dereham.
It is hard to run a business and and keep in touch with all that’s going on in manufacturing techniques and business development. Therefore in Breckland there is a Manufacturing Excellence Club.
Who are Manufacturing Excellence Clubs for?
Being responsible for a business is very demanding of your time and energy, leaving little left to make friends with others like you. Manufacturing Excellence Clubs are for anyone in this situation; they are local and informal networks of manufacturers willing to share and learn from each other.
What does a Manufacturing Excellence Club do?
Manufacturing Excellence Clubs are groups of manufacturers within a local area who meet regularly, with agendas focused by themselves around real business needs. Club members have fast track access to regional and national information, support and experience.
Members make a commitment to openly discuss manufacturing challenges and successes and to allow colleagues to visit their premises. Meetings take place about five times a year, usually at the site of one of the Club Members. There is a standard format for these formal get-togethers which includes a knowledge session, sharing session, and networking.
MAS-East also provides a website for members of any Club to see the issues being raised at any of the other Clubs across the region and can arrange contact between interested parties. Clubs have currently been established in Kings Lynn, Norwich and Great Yarmouth.
Thetford Club:
Thetford is the industrial engine of the district and home to some of our key employers such as Baxter Healthcare and Jeyes all of which are major manufacturing companies, some multi-national. Thetford has a higher than average amount of manufacturing employment and the town also exhibits strengths and growth in clusters surrounding the Advanced Engineering sector. This was noted by Invest East of England which encouraged MAS-East to establish a Manufacturing Excellence Club in Thetford with a local Club Champion and Chairman of Warren Services, Richard Bridgman. Richard has been encouraging attendance to ensure this important sector for the Breckland district receives the support it requires.
Click for more information on the Thetford Manufacturing Excellence Club or contact the REV Business Broker on 01842 756531
For more information on the Manufacturing Advisory Service please email admin@mas-east.org.uk or call 0845 300 4443
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