THE University of Liverpool has almost £1m of funding to help small businesses in the manufacturing sector.

It has been awarded more than £900,000 of European funding to provide organisational and technical support to manufacturing businesses throughout the region.

The ‘Collaborate to Innovate’ project will support 64 businesses from Merseyside and the wider North West by introducing product and process-related initiatives and innovations to improve their supply chain.

Companies who operate within the same supply-chain network will be encouraged to share platforms, including customer relationship management, product design and planning and scheduling.

The scheme focuses on companies in the aerospace, automotive, pharmaceuticals, chemicals and food sectors.

Dr Andy Lyons, from the University’s School of Management, who is leading the project said: “This project will enable local companies to benefit from the University’s research knowledge and expertise in supply chain management.”

He added: “The support we will offer aims to boost local companies’ performance which will ultimately lead to more business opportunities, and create new jobs and stronger businesses in the region.”

Further details are available from Dr Andy Lyons via A.C.Lyons@ liv.ac.uk