The Hull and East Yorkshire Business, Growth and Skills Hub is encouraging manufacturers from across the region to take part in a series of events aimed at supporting the growth and development of the manufacturing sector this autumn.

Delivered by HEY Growth Hub in partnership with the Made Smarter Programme, Hull City Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council, all but one of these events are free to attend, with places filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

A number of these events are being held under the banner of the HEY Manufacturers Network and it will kick-off with two workshops on Thursday 5 September.

• The autumn season of events on Thursday 5 September at the Aura Innovation Centre. The morning workshop session will explore “Operational Cyber Security for Manufacturing Businesses” and is a must for any business that is looking to safeguard against cyber-attacks directed through internet connected manufacturing plant, equipment and operational tools. The afternoon session is “An Introduction to Lean Processes”, which will provide delegates with a foundational understanding of lean principles and methodologies and is an ideal opportunity to learn about efficiency improvement, waste reduction, and productivity enhancement.
• National Manufacturing Day on Thursday 26 September will be marked with a full day of events at the Aura Innovation Centre. An Innovation Workshop delivered in partnership with the University of Hull, followed by a session that will explore data management within manufacturing operations and how data can be used to drive business and operational improvement. The day’s events will conclude with an informal “#Wired Curry” networking dinner at Bengal Pride, Chanterlands Avenue in Hull.
• Thursday 17 October sees Paragon Toolmaking host to a practical session that will explore “digital twinning” for manufacturers. This will explore the value of digital twinning within the manufacturing process and delegates will be able to view this process in action on Paragon Toolmaking’s factory shopfloor.
• The highlight of the autumn series is an exclusive industry insight visit to Siemens Gamesa’s blade factory in Hull on the afternoon of Thursday 17 October. This behind-the-scenes tour will be led by senior production staff from Siemens and delegates will be able to view the Siemens production processes first hand and ask questions of Siemens personnel.
• The series will wrap up on Thursday 5 December with an informal networking event at the Aura Innovation Centre. A local manufacturing firm will deliver a presentation about their business, before networking takes place over a Christmas buffet lunch.

Jon Brunton, Growth Hub Manager at the HEY Business, Growth and Skills Hub said: “There are over 1,600 manufacturing businesses in the Hull & East Yorkshire region, making up 22 per cent of our total business population.

“They collectively employ 43,000 people – 16 per cent of our regional workforce – and generate a GVA of £3.4 billion. The sector is therefore one of huge importance to the economic health of the region, and so it’s important that our manufacturers have access to the support, advice and funding that they need to grow”.

For more information on this series of events for manufacturers this autumn, please visit heygrowthhub.com/hey-manufacturers-network/ or email growthhub@heybusinessgrowthskillshub.com