Efforts to boost business productivity and increase innovation among West of England manufacturers have been highlighted by the area’s Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) at its AGM.
The meeting, which went under the banner of ‘Our West, Our Future’, heard how the LEP is now delivering its Local Industrial Strategy to spur clean growth that will benefit all its residents. 
The strategy, launched with the government last summer, sets out four areas of focus – business productivity, inclusive growth, cross-sectoral innovation and innovation in infrastructure.
With Bristol-Bath one of the UK’s most successful areas – and the only net contributor to the Treasury among the country’s core city-regions – the strategy looks to build on the type of innovation and collaboration that have made its aerospace and tech sectors world leaders.
LEP chair Prof Steve West highlighted the recent launch of the flagship £10m Centre for Digital Engineering, Technology & Innovation (DETI) as an example of the forward-thinking taking place in the area.
A major research, innovation and skills initiative, DETI is a collaboration between industry and academic partners led by the Bristol & Bath Science Park-based National Composites Centre (NCC) to benefit future generations of engineers and engineering products and to help tackle global challenges.
Partners include the Centre for Modelling and Simulation (CFMS), also based at the science park, and the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) alongside aerospace giants Airbus, Rolls-Royce and GKN – all with major manufacturing plants in the Filton area, and energy tech firm Baker Hughes, which has a base at Aztec West. 
Siemens and Toshiba are also contributing the project, which has already engaged with more than 100 companies across the region, including those in the sectors such as renewable energy, marine, aerospace and electronics.
DETI’s aim is to reduce carbon emissions by producing better products – ones that are lighter, more fuel efficient and have less waste – through undertaking research and innovation in the virtual world.
The LEP sees it as one of the building blocks in creating a global centre of innovation excellence in the West of England – bringing together innovative expertise to solve future challenges.
Addressing the 70 or so business leaders who attended the LEP AGM, Prof West, pictured above, said: “I’m proud our Local Enterprise Partnership is of such high calibre – representing the business community of this fantastic, dynamic, innovative and creative region.
“There is much to celebrate, our region continues to thrive and the broad range of organisations represented today is testament to the diverse economic base that drives our region’s success.
“Our LEP plays a key role in the success of the region, most recently as the driving force behind the ambitious Local Industrial Strategy. It’s great to see so much work already underway delivering against the strategy, including the launch of the DETI – supporting industry to reduce carbon emissions by producing better products, and also work on the way to support SMEs in addressing the productivity challenge.”
The AGM, held at global accountancy group PwC’s Bristol base, also included a series of panel discussions involving LEP board business members Natasha Swinscoe, Zoe Metcalfe, Jon Reynolds, Mohammed Saddiq, Chris Grier, Joanne Rumley, Heather Cooper, Richard Bonner, Margot Day and Katharine Finn.
Pictured, top, the LEP’s new board members. From left: Margot Day, Global Director for Risk and Commercial Law for Buro Happold; Natasha Swinscoe, Chief Executive Officer of the West of England Academic Health Science Network (AHSN); Zoe Metcalfe, a Director at Ove Arup & Partners, a strategic cities advisor, expert in urban resilience and the realisation of complex projects; Heather Cooper, a Director at Hargreaves Lansdown, responsible for leading the people, culture and Corporate Social Responsibility strategies; Richard Bonner, UK Operations Director and City Executive Bristol at Arcadis; and Joanne Rumley, a partner at Foot Anstey LLP specialising in advising both businesses and stakeholders affected by financial distress. Both photos by @JonCraig_Photos
