Support for manufacturers

The Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service (SMAS) is a central player in Scottish manufacturing and committed to helping businesses across the manufacturing supply chain become more productive, profitable and competitive.

The SMAS offering is multi-faceted and tailored specifically to the needs of each business we partner with. SMAS has a wide range of expertise that can help you:

• create a clear vision, mission and strategy to enable business growth
• explore digital technologies and help de-risk implementation
• improve quality, cost and lead times
• re-define the culture of your business to embed continuous improvement
• plan investment at the right time and place

Benefits of SMAS support include: 

• Identifying cost savings and efficiencies

An Operational Review is usually the starting point for engagement with our specialist team. The review identifies areas of potential improvement across the business to establish cost savings and efficiencies. The review will provide you with a plan to measure and improve your operations, manage your capital assets and investigate opportunities for investment.

The operational review is one day fully funded, delivered by a SMAS practitioner.

• Adopt digital technologies

Our Industry 4.0 Review is a comprehensive assessment of your business to identify where you are now and where you need to be. It will give you an aligned approach towards carefully considered investment decisions to adopt digital technologies in your business.

The Industry 4.0 Review comprises two days fully-funded support which is delivered by SMAS practitioners and our digital specialists.

• Build sustainable change

Are changes in your business slower than expected or has your company fallen back into old ways of working? Embedding a culture of business excellence in your business helps you to be more productive, competitive and outward looking.

The Business Improvement Academy is a 10-day programme, designed to support ambitious and growing businesses that recognise the need to engage with the concept of sustainable continuous improvement tools and techniques with culture and behavioural change.

The Business Improvement Academy costs £450 plus VAT per delegate.

• Identify supply chain opportunities

Are you an original equipment manufacturer reliant on your supply chain to satisfy your customers? A first-tier supplier coordinating part of the supply chain? Or a supplier further down the chain? Perhaps you’re looking at other supply chain opportunities? Our supply chain diagnostic will benchmark your activities against industry best practice and support you to identify opportunities for improvement.

Businesses across the manufacturing supply chain in Scotland are eligible for SMAS support.

SMAS reviews are free of charge. Any follow-on project support is chargeable at £300 per day for an SME or £600 for a non-SME.

SMAS can work with any business of any size, from any sector across the whole of Scotland.

Our team of highly experienced SMAS practitioners are proven industry leaders, who provide impartial, tailored support to clients. They will guide businesses through immediate tactical challenges as well as longer term strategic change to support improvements in the bottom line.

The team has a wealth of knowledge and can connect into an incredible network of other support. Their ‘fresh pair of eyes’ approach challenges businesses to prepare and plan for the future.

Submit an enquiry and an advisor will be in touch to discuss your needs.