New initiative to help SMEs in the region proving a major success

A new initiative to help SMEs across the West Midlands diversify their customer base by winning new orders in growing areas of the economy has been overwhelmingly successful.  

The Supply Chain Transition Programme is being delivered on behalf of the West Midlands Combined Authority and Business Growth West Midlands.

C&W Business Solutions, which is part of the Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub Group, has organised a Meet the Buyer event for businesses signed-up to the programme to connect suppliers to key customers in the sectors of Very Light Rail, Light Electric Vehicles, and Micromobility. The event will take place at the Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation (BCIMO) in Dudley on Tuesday, February 4.

Working alongside partners from the Finditin Network and the West Midlands Growth Company, and funded by the Commonwealth Games Legacy Fund, the Meet the Buyer event is specifically for members of the programme, who are largely from traditional industries, who have embraced diversification in order to expand their customer base and build strong, local supply chains for the future mobility sector.

West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker is the keynote speaker at the event which follows a programme of individual support and expert-run workshops, to prepare SME manufacturers and other suppliers to supply these innovative new sectors.

Companies will have the opportunity to speak to a range of buyers and key customers, including Watt Electric Vehicle Company, Aurrigo, Midland Metro Alliance, Unipart, and Simworx, about their current and future procurement requirements, and to engage and access light vehicle manufacturing supply chain opportunities with key OEMs.

The event is also a platform for SMEs to network with and meet industry experts, leaders, public and private sector organisations, programme partners and other cohort businesses, to transfer knowledge and ideas for diversification.

Angus Brummitt-Brown from Coventry Very Light Rail, James Black from Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), Rowan Crozier, CEO at Birmingham-based Brandauer and Andy Davis from C&W Business Solutions will also be speaking at the high-profile event.

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, who will open the event, said: “Our region is already a global leader in transport innovation – we have the ground-breaking very light rail system – partly developed at the BCIMO. We are at the forefront of electric vehicle technology – with a new gigafactory on the way. And in 2027 we are hosting the world’s largest transport technology conference the ITS World Congress.

“Now I am calling on our businesses to take this chance to seize these supply chain opportunities, create jobs for the future and join me in my mission to ensure the West Midlands becomes the best place to do business.”

David Keene, CEO of automated aviation technology specialist Aurrigo, said the Supply Chain Transition Programme is really important to share experiences and understand what’s going to be important in the next year, five years and ten years because of the constant changes in the automotive sector.

He said: “We're a company that's expanding rapidly in manufacturing automated vehicles, particularly in aviation where we're moving baggage and cargo around so we need suppliers who can support us with all of the components you would expect to see on an industrial vehicle.

“Whether firms specialise in supplying hydraulics, trim, interiors, or electrical parts, I would be happy to talk to local suppliers.”

Craig Humphrey, CEO of Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub Group, said: “This collaborative programme has been highly successful which is underlined by the fact it is oversubscribed and highlights the significant demand for this type of support and how it can transform businesses in traditional industries who are considering diversifying their customer base and becoming more sustainable and resilient.”

James Black, Innovation Manager at WMG, which is headline sponsor of the event and is leading on the Micromobility strand of the programme, added: “At WMG, we are constantly surprised and thrilled by the level of innovation and capability present within the manufacturing SMEs we work with. Through programmes and events like this, we can foster collaboration, drive supply chain resilience, and help local businesses thrive.”

Businesses at the invitation-only event will have an opportunity to look round BCIMO's engineering hall and test track which supports the development, testing and demonstration of future rail technologies.

Although the Supply Chain Transition Programme is fully subscribed, any SMEs who would be interested in this type of support should contact supplychaintransition@cwgrowthhub.co.uk