News Release

16th January 2004

BUSINESSES CAN DEMONSTRATE MANUFACTURING EXCELLENCE

Michael Fabricant, a Chartered Engineer and director of the Engineering & Technology Board, is urging manufacturers in Staffordshire and throughout the west midlands to test their competitiveness in the marketplace by entering the Institution of Mechanical Engineers' (IMechE) Manufacturing Excellence (MX2004) Awards. Now in its 25th year, the Manufacturing Excellence Awards examines UK manufacturers' competitiveness in best practice and innovation across six industrial disciplines: customer focus; product innovation; process innovation; resource efficiency; people effectiveness and IT.

Michael Fabricant, who is also Shadow Minister for Economic Affairs, says "Manufacturing is vitally important to the UK economy. It accounts for 20% of GDP and the UK cannot trade in the international marketplace relying on service industries alone. Awards such as these reward the hard work and efforts of all those in manufacturing in the UK. Our region has a long history of manufacturing excellence, and therefore I encourage those involved to enter the Manufacturing Excellence Awards to receive the recognition of excellence they deserve. Manufacturing generates two-thirds of the value of the UK's exports and directly employs over 4 million people. Unfortunately, the Government fails to recognise the importance of our industrial sector."

All manufacturing companies are eligible to enter for the awards, no matter their size, and there is a special award to encourage SME's to grow and prosper. Furthermore, to ensure UK manufacturing remains a world leader in quality and service, the IMechE is offering all companies that apply a free confidential benchmarking report to ensure they are performing to the acknowledged standards of best practice.

Entrance to MX2004 is free and supported by a prestigious group of organisations including the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Engineering Employers' Federation (EEF), the Manufacturing Advisory Service, and the Manufacturing Foundation.

To enter the MX2004 awards, or to apply for the free benchmark service, please contact Stephanie Levin, Project Executive, at the IMechE on tel: 0207 304 6815 or email: mx2004@imeche.org.uk.

The Awards will be presented in June 2004, at an evening ceremony at the Dorchester Hotel, London. All entrants receive a free, confidential benchmarking study against best practise.