A manufacturer from Macclesfield has urged others to follow in their footsteps by adopting technology and digital tools to survive and thrive.

Businesses from across the region shared their insights at the Made Smarter: journey to digital manufacturing conference which was attended by 300 delegates from across the industry.

They included Plastic Card Services, a plastic card manufacturer based in Macclesfield.

Louise Ray, Director of Marketing and Communications, was part of a panel discussing on using technology to boost business resilience.

She said: "When we started our conversation with Made Smarter we were looking at tech adoption as a one-off project. However, Made Smarter made us step back, bring different teams together, and talk through the business from top to bottom. What emerged is a long term view of what we can achieve and quite a few different projects in the pipeline.

"We took advantage of the downturn in work early on in the pandemic to accelerate our plan and we are starting to notice the differences already."

Among the other Cheshire SME manufacturers to share their insights was Twin Fix, a manufacturer of roof glazing and canopies based in Warrington.

They are among 1,200 businesses that have engaged with the Made Smarter North West Adoption programme over the last two years

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Now after securing additional funding from the government, Made Smarter is looking to engage with hundreds more manufacturers in the region.

Billed as an event for manufacturers by manufacturers, the free-to-access virtual summit showcased how Cheshire and Warrington businesses can leverage and fast-track digital technology and tools for a year of recovery, growth and resilience.

Leading the agenda will be North West metro mayors Andy Burnham (Greater Manchester) and Steve Rotheram (Liverpool City Region) who will share their insights about the importance of the manufacturing sector, the role for digital technology in driving the growth, and the benefits technology is bringing to the North West economy.

There will also be panel discussions and roundtable debates, interactive workshops, a virtual expo of the latest digital manufacturing technologies, and business advice sessions, giving attendees access to support available to grow their organisation.

For more details, visit the Made Smarter website.