GUILDFORD MP ENCOURAGES LOCAL BUSINESSES TO DEMONSTRATE MANUFACTURING EXCELLENCE

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 16th Jan 2004

Sue Doughty MP is urging manufacturers in Guildford to test their competitiveness in the marketplace by entering the institution of Mechanical Engineers' (IMechE) Manufacturing Excellence (MX2004) Awards. Now in its 25th year, the Manufacturing Excellence Awards examine the UK manufacturers' competitiveness in best practice and innovation across six industrial disciplines: customer focus; product innovation; process innovation; resource efficiency; people effectiveness; and IT.

All manufacturing companies based in the UK are eligible to enter, no matter their size, and there is a special award to encourage SME's to grow and prosper. Furthermore, to ensure UK manufacturing remains a world leader in quality and service, the IMechE is offering all companies that apply a free confidential benchmarking report to ensure they are performing to the acknowledged standards of best practice.

Entrance to MX2004 is free and supported by a prestigious group of organizations including the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the EEF, the Manufacturing Advisory Service and the Manufacturing Foundation.

Sue said:

"Manufacturing is vitally important to the UK economy. Not only does it account for 20% of GDP, but the UK cannot continue to compete in the international marketplace relying on service industries alone. Such awards reward the hard work and efforts of all those in manufacturing in the UK. Guildford has a long history of manufacturing excellence of which I am proud, so I encourage our local businesses to enter the Manufacturing Awards to receive the recognition of excellence they deserve."