Influence Associates grabs brief for 'catapult' manaufacturing scheme

Influence Associates has been called in to spread word of a scheme that aims to stimulate highly skilled work in areas ranging from the biotech to nuclear industries.

Named the High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult, the scheme encourages the sharing of best practice and facilities.

It links seven leading organisations in the sector with other bodies ranging from SMEs through to giant multinational firms such as Rolls-Royce.

Will Powell is a director at Influence Associates, which will handle everything from internal to corporate comms as part of the retained brief.

'We've had a year of building the foundations around the organisation,' he said.

'Now it's about bringing results from the work to the fore and communicating with a range of organisations, whether it's public or private. It is also about finding one voice for them and, ultimately, boosting the contribution of the manufacturing sector to GDP.'

The scheme is one of seven 'catapult' programmes and was set up by the Technology Strategy Board in 2011. It forms a key part of government plans to bridge the gap between research and commercialisation in the UK.

'It will allow expertise to be passed on, with the member organisations offering test platforms for new processes and giving great ideas a chance,' added Powell.

The ultimate aims of the programme are to combine government, EU and private industry funding to help make the UK more competitive globally.

HVM Catapult CEO Dick Elsy said: 'We have to distil very complex ideas and longterm processes, and communicate them in a way that is accessible and reveals how compelling this programme really is.'

This article was first published on prweek.com