The search is on for the region's most successful manufacturing 'clusters' or sector forums to represent the East Midlands in the national Cluster Mark competition.

Organised by the Department for Business of Innovation and Skills (BIS) and managed within the region by the East Midlands Development Agency (emda), the competition will highlight best practice within the UK and internationally and offer organisations working within a manufacturing sector an opportunity to showcase their successes on a regional and global scale.

East Midlands manufacturing sector forums of inter-connected companies, specialist suppliers, service providers and educational institutions are invited to enter. Two regional winners will be announced in January 2010 and put forward to the national competition.

Chris Brock, Head of Sector Innovation at emda and coordinator of the regional competition said: "Cluster Mark is an opportunity for organisations that are working together in a manufacturing sector to show how they have excelled and helped to create a vibrant business community in the East Midlands.

"We are looking for initiatives that can demonstrate a competitive advantage in a global economy, which could be by showing evidence of entrepreneurial dynamism, innovation or growth in the sector."

Regional winners will benefit from the Cluster Mark endorsement, a sign of the highest standards of innovation and success, which will offer a sales and marketing tool to help attract inward investment.  

National winners, selected by a panel chaired by a BIS Minister and announced at a gala dinner in 2010, will be able to use the Cluster Mark Winner logo on promotional material and be included in publicity opportunities over the year.

Application forms for the East Midlands regional competition and more information on Cluster Mark can be found by visiting http://www.eminnovation.org.uk or contact Chris Brock tel 0115 988 8435, email ChristopherBrock@emd.org.uk. The closing date for applications is 30 November 2009.