Bristol-based accountants and business advisors BDO has announced that the manufacturers’ organisation, EEF, is to back South West Innovative Manufacturing (SWIM). EEF will bring its knowledge and expertise in manufacturing in a move that will see SWIM and EEF’s own South West Manufacturing Network (SWMN) merge into one larger network.
EEF joins founding partners BDO and Barclays in the running of SWIM, a group which combines events, factory tours and seminars with online knowledge-sharing via a bespoke webpage. The forum aims to encourage and inspire manufacturers to harness the benefits of partner working across a wide network and forge new relationships which will facilitate growth and future success.
John Talbot (pictured), of BDO in Bristol, said: “We are very pleased that EEF has recognised the value offered by SWIM and have agreed to work with us to make as many manufacturers as possible aware of the benefits. We share the same commitment to promoting best practice and innovative thinking to drive growth and new developments within manufacturing.
"This is particularly important given that one-third of South West manufacturers who responded to BDO’s recent Manufacturing the Future survey are not confident that manufacturing will be a core sector of the UK economy in 10 years’ time.”
South West region director for EEF Paul Knight said: “I am delighted to announce our new partnership with BDO and Barclays, which builds on our organisation’s existing relationships and combines the strength of EEF’s South West Manufacturing Network with SWIM for the sole purpose of enabling growth, innovation and the promotion of best practice within manufacturing in the South West. EEF is committed to ensuring a bright future for UK manufacturing and our stronger combined network will allow us to reach out to the largest possible audience across our region.”
The next SWIM event will take place on July 3rd at the Somerset headquarters of Swallowfield, experts in developing and manufacturing toiletries, beauty, colour cosmetics and homeware products. The breakfast event will focus on the reasons behind Swallowfield’s decision to off-shore production and the impact of returning it to the UK. Areas covered will include strategy, cost efficiencies, labour costs and supply chain management, culminating in a factory tour.
For more information or to register interest in attending the free event, contact Isabel Duckworth, Marketing and Business Development Manager at BDO - isabel.duckworth@bdo.co.uk.
