SMAS CONFERENCE MARCH 2020
MAKING
SCOTLAND’S FUTURE
The SMAS National Manufacturing Conference takes place on
26 May at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre
This year is set to be a watershed moment
BY NICK SHIELDS, DIRECTOR, SCOTTISH MANUFACTURING ADVISORY SERVICE
for Scottish manufacturing as we
embark on achieving a restructuring
of the economy towards high value
manufacturing. We recognise that to
be a resilient and prosperous economy,
we need to do more to industrialise our fantastic
research capacity, grow the manufacturing base
and support it to become more productive.
The creation of the industry-led £65 million
National Manufacturing Institute Scotland
(NMIS – main picture) sits at the centre of the
new Advanced Manufacturing Innovation
District Scotland, turning the country into a
global leader in advanced manufacturing and
a magnet for investment.
Following the announcement that French tyre
fi rm Michelin would close its plant in Dundee, the
Scottish government announced a £60 million
funding commitment in November to turn the
site into the Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc
(MSIP). This ambitious joint venture between
Michelin, Dundee City Council
and Scottish Enterprise will be
a focal point for clean transport
and low carbon energy, which fi ts
with the Scottish government’s
plan to re-engineer Scotland’s
economy to reach net zero
emission by 2045 – fi ve years
sooner than the rest of the UK.
Added to that is the Advanced
Manufacturing Challenge Fund
initiative, which will create a
national network of regional
bases to stimulate and improve
the innovation performance of
Scotland’s SMEs. Designed to
complement NMIS by providing
local access to support and
services, these initiatives will
ensure the manufacturing sector
is positioned to fully capitalise
on advancing the sector.
Main picture:
NMIS will
help Scotland
become a
leader in
advanced
manufacturing
A bigger conference
than ever before
Exciting times indeed for
Scottish manufacturing and to
support this raised ambition,
the Scottish Manufacturing
Advisory Service (SMAS)
National Manufacturing
Conference – Making Scotland’s
Future – returns in 2020,
bigger, better and bolder than
ever before.
A move to the Edinburgh
International Conference
Centre allows us to welcome a
much larger audience of 600,
drawn from across Scotland’s
manufacturing community
and beyond to attend the only
event of its kind in Scotland.
Along with a shift in venue,
comes a refreshed event
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