MAKING IT … POSSIBLE
Aycliffe manufacturers are among a host of North-East companies benefiting from world-class support from the SAM Project . Peter Barron explains what ’ s on offer …
W ith a wealth of experience in manufacturing behind him , Roger O ’ Brien is well versed in coming up with innovative solutions that drive businesses forward .
Having spent 20 years with automotive company Gestamp , where he was ultimately UK engineering manager having also been group design and development manager , he is now focused on helping small and medium sized businesses in the North-East remain competitive and look to a sustainable future .
Roger is not only head of The Institute for Automotive and Manufacturing Advanced Practice at Sunderland University , but technical and research lead for the Sustainable Advanced Manufacturing ( SAM ) Project .
The project , which puts the university at the heart of manufacturing , supports the region ’ s SMEs by giving them access to world-class technical expertise and funding . The aims are to keep them competitive , boost productivity , make them more efficient , and raise their horizons .
Roger leads a team of expert industry practitioners – all from the North-East – with 250 years of combined experience in companies such as Nissan , Black & Decker , Rolls Royce and Gestamp , as well as smaller enterprises .
“ Between us , we ’ ve seen a wide variety of challenges in our time , and the SAM Project is all about giving SMEs access to equipment and technology they might not be able to afford ,” says Roger .
“ It ’ s about reducing their risk by contributing to the cost of technology , spreading best practice , and allowing them to tap into knowledge of world-class manufacturers .”
The SAM Project team covers a broad spectrum of specialisms , including : productivity ; quality ; logistics ; maintenance ; factory layout ; production engineering ; product design ; simulation ; digital engineering ; electronics ; additive manufacturing and robotics .
Launched in November 2018 , the project received £ 5.77m of funding from the European Regional Development Fund , matched by University of Sunderland and Industry , to make it a £ 10.9m programme .
Match-funding grants of up to £ 50,000 are available at a 35 per cent intervention rate in County Durham ( 25 per cent in Tyne and Wear and Northumberland ) for projects up to £ 200,000 , as well as up to around 90 hours of fully-funded technical support that can be increased for research projects .
The project was originally designed as a three-year initiative but due to the clear success of phase one , it has been extended to June 2023 . So far , 160 companies have benefited , with £ 1m handed out in grants , £ 47.1m added in gross value , and 290 jobs created .
Around 300 North-East companies have engaged so far , with a dozen Aycliffe companies involved , including Aycliffe Fabrications .
Established 41 years ago , it may not be the biggest company on Aycliffe Business Park , but it is one of the longest established , with customers that include 3M , INEOS , Stiller Warehousing and Distribution , PPG Industries , NSK , and Oberlin Filter .
The business has built its reputation by solving problems through innovative design , making prototypes and bespoke fabrications .
“ If industrial customers can ’ t buy it off the shelf , we can make it ,” says business manager Katie Flanagan .
A prime example of Aycliffe Fabrications ’ creativity is the construction of the “ In Our Image ” sculpture of a giant head and shoulders , by Newcastle artist , Joseph Hillier , which stands on the A167 near Aycliffe Business Park .
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