'˜Innovation will see Lancashire manufacturers through'

BIBAs awards from the Blackpool Tower ballroom.
Cleanall Services win the Excellence in Customer Service award. PIC BY ROB LOCK
11-9-2015 — BIBAs awards from the Blackpool Tower ballroom. Cleanall Services win the Excellence in Customer Service award. PIC BY ROB LOCK 11-9-2015

The ability of Lancashire's manufacturers to innovate will be key to continuing growth within the industry, according to the owner of a firm which works alongside many top manufacturers.

Carole Myers, managing director of Conception Marketing, said she saw “innovative thinking and determination” from manufacturing, engineering and technology businesses which she works with on a daily basis.

The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show manufacturing output grew by 2.3 per cent in April compared with the previous month, the biggest increases since July 2012.

Conception Marketing is sponsoring the Manufacturer of the Year category at this year’s Be Inspired Business Awards, the BIBAs, which got its second round of judging underway yesterday.

Carole said: “Pharmaceuticals and the energy sector were the areas of manufacturing which we saw driving this growth and all are known for innovative thinking.

“This is what manufacturers in Lancashire and the wider North West have become known for and it is this type of thinking that will continue to drive growth; we cannot rely on low-cost, high-volume manufacturing, adding value is what we are all about.

“In the opening rounds of the BIBAs, I have already seen exactly this type of thinking and I cannot wait to see more when my fellow judges and I undertake our second round of judging this week.”

Carole will lead the judging panel which visits the eight finalists for the Manufacturer of the Year category on Thursday, which includes East Lancashire-based Suprafilt and The Senator Group and animal pharmaceutical firm VetPlus.

The awards wil be handed out in September at Blackpool  Tower.