Cowgill Holloway are set to offer advice and guidance to attendees of the UK’s largest digital manufacturing show, Smart Factory Expo, which returns on 15-16 November at its new home – the Exhibition Centre Liverpool.
The North West is home to some great manufacturing business, and is the UK’s most valuable manufacturing region, directly employing some 318,000 people and contributing £24.2bn to GDP.
The Smart Factory Expo, held by The Manufacturer has been revitalised for 2017, featuring: “Innovation Alley” – a showcase of manufacturing innovation from around the UK; “Hack and Pitch” – real engineering tackling real problems in real time; Solutions Theatres – conference-style learning opportunities from more than 100 presentations from the likes of BMW Group, GKN, and Jaguar Land Rover; and practical Workshops curated by the University of Cambridge’s Institute of Manufacturing, with case studies from BAE Systems, Caterpillar and Rolls-Royce.
Speaking about the technologies and opportunities that will be on display, Nick Hussey, CEO of Smart Factory Expo organisers, Hennik Group, said: “British manufacturing is right on the cusp of a revolution. Industry 4.0, IoT-connected assembly environments, advanced automation, these are making manufacturing a completely different entity to what it has been for decades. There is a real buzz around manufacturing in the UK at present, but if you’re not out there seeing the sort of technology and new business models now available, then you’re missing out. And we just can’t have British manufacturers missing out.”
Commenting on Cowgill Holloway’s attendance at the event, Head of Tax, Lisa Wilson said: “The North West is not only home to some fantastic manufacturing businesses, but the region contributes so much in the way of innovation.
“Much of this innovation qualifies for R&D tax credits, but is currently going unclaimed. Last year, the figures suggest that only an estimated 3% of manufacturing businesses claimed research and development tax credits. Considering the amount of innovation happening in the North West and indeed across the UK – this number is staggeringly low.
“The types of activities that qualify for R&D tax relief cover a broad spectrum of investment by a company. It is aimed at achieving progress in science or technology through systematic investigation which seeks to resolve scientific or technological uncertainty. This could be a new or improved product, process or service. In some instances, R&D credits are more than a tax incentive, they can provide a valuable source of funding if businesses find themselves in a loss situation and can surrender the loss in exchange for a cash payment.”
With so much to explore and experience, it really is an event that no manufacturer can afford to miss out on, so clear the diary for 15-16 November. Register online via Smart Factory Expo website: www.tmsmartfactoryexpo.com/register-smartexpo/
Disclaimer
The information was correct at time of publishing but may now be out of date.
