Pictured above: (l-r) Mark Prisk (Minister for Business and Enterprise) and Simon Griffiths (MAS-WM)

The new Minster for Business and Enterprise saw firsthand the innovation and diversity of West Midlands' manufacturing last week during a visit to MACH 2010.

Mark Prisk was given a guided tour of the 'Made in the Midlands' Zone by Manufacturing Advisory Service-WM's Chief Executive Simon Griffiths and met a number of world class businesses helping to bring business back to the UK.

The MP for Hertford and Stortford was shown a new coffee machine designed and made in North Staffordshire by sheet metal specialists KMF as well as the latest robotics technology from KUKA and  value added parts by Birmingham-based Precision Micro.

Also on the stand was a coalition operation in the form of MAN, a ten-strong group of manufactures who work together to secure new orders, an approach that has already reaped £10m of sales and safeguarded hundreds of jobs.

"We have had lots of interest in the Made in the Midlands Zone during the five day event and promising enquiries have been taken by all our companies," explained MAS-WM's Simon Griffiths.

"The Minister was impressed at the innovation and world class capabilities of each company and the fact that many are leading the world in value added technologies and manufacturing standards. We'd be delighted to invite him back to the region to demonstrate this further." 

MACH 2010 is the established UK showcase for the latest manufacturing technologies and this year will showcase the latest developments in metal cutting, CAD/CAM, engineering lasers and rapid prototyping.

The Made in the Midlands Zone, which was organised by MAS-WM, Advantage West Midlands, Semta and UK Trade and Investment, featured KMF Precision Sheet Metal, KUKA, Laranaca Engineering, MAN, PP Electrical Systems, and Precision Micro.

It was designed to give the region a focal point and local companies the opportunity to exhibit at the international event for a fraction of the usual cost whilst showcasing their products to a dedicated audience.

Mark Prisk, Minister for Business and Enterprise, commented: ""MACH is the UK's premier manufacturing technologies event and it is particularly pertinent that it takes place in the West Midlands, a region that has a strong industrial tradition. 

"The very best companies here are moving forward using innovation, advanced manufacturing and low carbon technologies. 

"These advances were clearly demonstrated on the Made in the Midlands stand and I was encouraged to see that our manufacturing base has a positive future."

Mick Laverty, Chief Executive of Advantage West Midlands, concluded: "Supporting manufacturing is crucial to the recovery of our economy and this is one way in which we can pool our resources so that businesses have a platform from which to win new business.

"Sales are all important and the more work we attract to the region means the more jobs we can safeguard and create."