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<p> </p><p>Companies in the textiles manufacturing sector can access help and advice
to grow their business through ‘GREAT” <a href="http://www.greatbusiness.gov.uk/"
target="_blank">www.greatbusiness.gov.uk</a> or <a href="http://www.gov.uk/" target="_blank">www.gov.uk</a>
: eligible businesses can gain support in areas such as starting, running, funding,
staffing and expanding a business.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>BIS has provided
targeted support to the textiles sector in a number of ways. Firstly, £12.8 million
has been made available from the Regional Growth Fund to support the Textiles Growth
Programme, which is focused on creating and safeguarding 1,020 jobs in textiles by
supporting capital projects, skills training and research and development in the North
of England.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Growth Deals will allow Local Enterprise
Partnerships with a textiles manufacturing presence in their regions to prioritise
the financial support available (£2bn a year for 6 years from 2015/16 to 2020/2) for
proposals that target this sector.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Advanced Manufacturing
Supply Chain Initiative (AMSCI) provides grants and loans to successful projects demonstrating
real ambition to create globally competitive supply chains. £3.9m of AMSCI funding
has been awarded to C & J Antich Ltd to pioneer a technique for weaving Aluminium
Dioxide thread into 3D shapes to form the basis for the production of ‘reinforced
aluminium’.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Additional funding of £100 million for AMSCI
2014 was announced in April. The new round is open to applications from all organisations
operating as part of a manufacturing supply chain including textile manufacturers.</p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) offers expert advice
and grant support to eligible manufacturing companies throughout England. MAS delivers
a range of support to manufacturing companies; including those in the textiles sector;
ranging from company specific diagnostics, workforce up skilling and grant funding
for specific projects to achieve the company’s growth ambitions. Since January 2012
MAS have supported 334 companies in the textiles and leather sector to deliver 417
company specific projects, a further 109 projects are due for completion this financial
year. 1521 business diagnostics have been undertaken with companies in the textiles
and leather sector.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As part of the Sector Mentoring
Fund, Manchester Economic Solutions Ltd was awarded £77,500 in January to deliver
Mentor Tex, which is a textile sector mentoring programme concentrated in key textiles
regions such as Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Yorkshire. The scheme has attracted
interest from a wide range of textiles businesses, with 32 mentees and 13 mentors
already signed up and other in the pipeline. To date 12 mentoring relationships are
already in place and we expect to meet project targets by the end of the summer.</p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) can also help the domestic supply
chain for textiles exploit opportunities for exporting into new markets overseas.
We are also helping raise skills levels through an unprecedented focus on vocational
training, including Higher Level Apprenticeships which will provide for higher level
skills and beyond into postgraduate level and professional qualifications.</p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Finally, the textiles sector, particularly technical textiles,
continues to have access to opportunities for technology transfer and the exchange
of knowledge provided by the Knowledge Transfer Network.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
</p><p> </p>
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