Leading industry figures set to debate UK manufacturing

Organisers promises a stellar cast of manufacturing expertise has been gathered together for the inaugural Manufactured Yorkshire conference on Tuesday.

Speakers include entrepreneur Richard Kaye, the managing director of Fired Up Corporation, Mike Jones, the HR director of Siemens in north-west Europe, Terry Scouler, the chief executive of manufacturers’ organisation EEF and Barry Sheerman, the Labour MP for Huddersfield.

Others scheduled to appear at Alex McWhirter, chief executive of Finance Yorkshire, Mark Robson, regional director at UK Trade & Investment, Neil McLean, outgoing chairman of the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership and Mark O’Reilly, chairman of Team Humber Marine Alliance.

They will discuss exporting, skills, access to finance and supply chain opportunities in renewable industries.

The event will also feature a meet-the-buyer session with Dewsbury-based blue chip suppler Richard Alan Engineering, various business clinics, an exhibition hall housing 40 companies and networking opportunities.

Huddersfield Town FC, which is hosting the conference at the John Smith’s stadium, will fund an apprenticeship with one of the organisations taking part through its charitable foundation.

Spokeswoman Mandy Taylor said: “All participating organisations and visitors will have the opportunity to apply for this unique initiative. Apprentices tend to be eager, motivated, flexible and loyal to the company that invests in them.

“They have made an active choice to learn on the job and a commitment to a specific career with more than 80 per cent of those employers who employ them agreeing that they make their workplace a more productive place.”

Danny Matharu of Hillrich said: “This is an seminar programme at MY13. To have this level of manufacturing expertise present at the Conference in the semblance of delegates, exhibitors and sponsors is a clear message that the support and hunger for a stronger, more joined up sector is very much on the table.”

The conference promises “a day of learning, collaboration and networking”. The Yorkshire Post is media partner.

Mark Young, sales and marketing director at Brighouse-based John Walton Machine Tools said: “Manufactured Yorkshire will appeal to any manufacturer or any business which is part of the manufacturing supply chain.”

Book tickets via www.manufacturedyorkshire.com