NEWS RELEASE EMBARGOED UNTIL 00:01 MONDAY 27 APRIL 2009 New awards series puts regions’ manufacturers centre stage A major awards programme has been launched today by EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation. The EEF Future Manufacturing Awards will reward enterprise, innovation, environmental performance and skills development among the 14,000 manufacturing businesses in the North West. Particular recognition will be given to companies that are successfully seizing the business opportunities presented by the fast growing market for low carbon products and services. “With the services economy in disarray its time for the manufacturing industry to get the recognition it deserves as the true engine of economic growth and a hot bed of innovative thinking,” says Jo Britton, North West spokesperson for EEF. “Too many people have a negative view of manufacturing which is out of date. We’ll show them how wrong they are by drawing attention to those businesses that are breaking down barriers, reinventing the rules and reaching out for new opportunities to create a manufacturing industry this country can be proud of.” EEF points out that the UK remains the world’s sixth largest manufacturing base that creates 50% of UK exports and accounts for 75% of all business funded research and development. Manufacturing output is higher in the North West than any other region in the UK and the sector directly employs more than 370,000 people in the region , “Manufacturers have been building our future for hundreds of years and they continue to do so today” Jo Britton added. The Rt. Hon. Lord Peter Mandelson, Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform has applauded the initiative and urged local businesses to enter the awards “Manufacturing is vital to the UK economy’s future. The skills and knowledge that deliver innovation and low carbon development will power the UK’s return to economic growth. Low carbon - already a £3 trillion industry -is set to double in the next few years and has the potential to create more than 400,000 new UK jobs over the next 5 years in this sector. These awards give important recognition to the value that innovative manufacturing businesses contribute to our economy, and we are working with EEF and other industry bodies to help build the UK’s manufacturing future.” said Lord Mandelson The EEF Future Manufacturing Awards will recognise outstanding achievement in three key areas: Innovation - The Innovative Working Practices Award - The Innovative People Practices Award Environment - The Climate Change Business Opportunity Award - The Environmental Achievement Award Enterprise - The Business Growth Award - The Skills Award In addition, there will be an Apprentice of the year award. The North West regional winners in each category will be announced in November. They will then represent the region at the national awards as well as competing for the overall Manufacturing Achievement of the Year Award. These awards will be presented at a national ceremony in early 2010. Entry for the awards is open to all manufacturing businesses operating in the North West. Entry forms are available from the awards web site at www.eef.org.uk/awards Entries close at the end of July.