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Manufacturing is a key economic driver for Lancashire, employing over 80,000 people and supporting a significant supply chain across high-value sectors such as aerospace and automotive. To mark National Manufacturing Day on September 26th, Innovate Lancashire has been speaking to several experts about the county’s manufacturing strengths and growth potential. We’ve also gathered some top tips from manufacturing specialists which could help companies accelerate innovation within their business. So, why does manufacturing matter to Lancashire? “Manufacturing contributes over £2bn every year to the national economy and supports a workforce of over 2.5m,” says Graham Baldwin, Vice Chancellor… Keep reading

Crozier Campers, a Lancashire manufacturer which converts commercial vehicles into campervans, has seen accelerated growth following a major investment in new technology. Following a £20,000 grant from Made Smarter, the government backed support scheme for manufacturers, the Poulton-le-Fylde company was able to bring advanced CNC manufacturing processes in-house. This helped significantly reduce build times, boosted overall productivity, and freed up staff to focus on other areas of the business including sales and marketing. Embedding more automation and advanced digital systems into the production line also increased Crozier’s R&D capacity. It is now able to prototype fresh ideas, undertake more bespoke… Keep reading

The Greenhouse Innovation Consortium (GIC) – a pioneering group of food growers, glass manufacturers and researchers which aim to improve food production in the UK by unlocking the potential of greenhouses – has been launched. Founded and chaired by Edge Hill University’s Dr Sven Batke, GIC members include leading industry names such as Pilkington UK, Philips Lighting, Flavourfresh Salads, CambridgeHOK and Glass Futures. The GIC will focus on tackling a wide range of climatic and horticultural challenges, including enhancing crop quality, improving yields, and boosting plant resilience, through increased greenhouse technological innovation. In addition, the GIC will help growers develop more… Keep reading

fhunded, the venture capital initiative developed by Innovate Lancashire, recently  celebrated its first anniversary. Now managed by Lancashire County Council, the fhunded programme was originally launched by Rory Southworth at the Fraser House co-working hub in Lancaster last July. Aligned to one of the core objectives of the Lancashire Innovation Plan, fhunded was designed to bring together investors, founders and business support agencies from across Lancashire, and the wider North, to increase levels of tech and digital VC investment activity in the county. Through a programme of regular ‘meet the investor’ events, investment-readiness masterclasses, and other interventions,… Keep reading

With less than a year to go until the arrival of the National Cyber Force (NCF) in Samlesbury, Lancashire County Council (LCC) has stepped up its engagement activity with both local and national technology companies via a series of workshops focused on Lancashire’s growing cyber economy and the wider North West Cyber Corridor. Delivered by LCC in partnership with Plexal, an innovation company solving society’s challenges through collaboration with government, startups, industry and academia, over 160 industry organisations have taken part in the events hosted at locations across Lancashire and Greater Manchester. Reflecting the broad and diverse nature of the… Keep reading

A raft of recent skills, training and careers events specifically linked to the technology sector have highlighted how Lancashire is gearing up to meet the economic demands of the future. Children and young people from a wide variety of backgrounds, and with different levels of ability, from across Lancashire have been at the heart of the activities, which further reflects the county’s commitment to inclusive growth and creating good jobs for everyone in the digital space.   Hands-on activities to promote STEM pathways In June, the University of Central Lancaster hosted TeenTech Lancashire 2024, an all-day interactive… Keep reading

Burnley-based aerospace manufacturer Safran Nacelles and the University of Central Lancashire have announced a new strategic partnership which will bring academia closer to industry in Lancashire. Safran Nacelles is a world leader in aircraft nacelles. The Burnley site is critical their manufacturing process, working alongside sister sites in France and Morocco. The collaboration will see the University and Safran working together to develop skills and training programmes which will include degree apprenticeship courses. The University’s academics and PhD students are also set to support Safran on a range of pioneering R&D projects in areas such as alternative sources… Keep reading

Logs Direct, a Lancashire manufacturer which produces over 20,000 tonnes of kiln-dried firewood and logs each year, has doubled productivity, boosted profit, and created new jobs, by embracing a digitalised approach to its operations. With the support of Made Smarter, the government back support scheme for innovative manufacturers, the Lancaster-based company recently invested £40,000 in a kiln monitoring and heat-recovery system. Through being able to access performance data from its kilns in real time, Logs Direct was able to improve the efficiency of several key manufacturing processes. As a result, it has been able to cut down drying times… Keep reading

The Lancashire and Cumbria Institute of Technology (IoT), a cohort of local colleges and universities with a focus on technical training and workforce development, has published a new report about the region’s skills gap.   The IoT Barometer Report found that employers across both Lancashire and Cumbria generally experienced the same issues; recruiting the right talent, and finding quicker ways to upskill existing staff.  The research further revealed… Keep reading

Fuuse, the Lancashire electric vehicle charging platform, which is headquartered at the Fraser House co-working hub in Lancaster, has recently raised £8.7m in a new funding round. The investment – which has come from lead investor YFM Equity Partners, existing investors Par Equity, and an angel syndicate – will help to fund growth in the UK and Ireland. As part of the expansion the business is looking to grow its team by an additional 17 staff, taking its total workforce to nearly 80. The new investment will also help Fuuse focus on building its network, provide a… Keep reading

FHundED Live, Lancashire’s new digital industries conference, brought over 100 business leaders together in Lancaster on Friday (May 10th) to debate, showcase and celebrate the county’s fast-growth digital industries and emerging tech sectors. Built around four core themes: Raise, Scale, Future Tech and Exit Strategy, the event covered a range of topics through a blend of discussion panels, presentations and fireside chats. Early stage investment, technology trends, and how to successfully build and sell a tech business, were some of the themes covered, as were cross-cutting issues such as skills, innovation and inclusion. Speakers – who were drawn from across… Keep reading

Northern Reach, the Lancaster-based tech businesses consultancy which manages Innovate Lancashire’s  Lancashire Digital Hub initiative, has been awarded a significant funding boost through the Barclays Eagle Labs Ecosystem Partnership Programme. The Barclays Eagle Labs Ecosystem Partnership Programme, supports organisations which are embedded in their local entrepreneurial ecosystem and are helping to grow their region’s tech economy. The Barclays Eagle Labs investment in Lancashire has been match funded by Lancashire County Council and Northern Reach and will now enable the expansion and enhancement to many of Lancashire Digital Hub’s current activities. These will include increasing the… Keep reading