MX09 awards deadline extended

Paul Terry, Project Manager for MX, says: "We welcome this news, and hope it will act as an incentive for companies which haven't entered MX yet to do so. We have decided to extend the deadline, from the end of January, for a brief period.

"Manufacturers in the UK, and especially areas such as the Midlands, have been hit hard by the recession and the Government's support of the car industry sends out the message that manufacturing is worth saving. Our scheme recognises the best and most innovative engineering talent this country has to offer, and perhaps now more than ever, this ingenuity of excellence that we hold so proudly is something we should be celebrating."

The manufacturing industry boasts highly skilled engineers and the Government's recent announcement of state aid for all motoring sectors means proves its willingness to nurture those skills. MX is said to be unique because it improves the skill base and empowers people inside a company to deliver better products and processes, meaning more satisfied customers - and ultimately improved profitability, which is vital in today's economic climate. Organised by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), it is believed to be the only benchmarking event of its kind that provides free and impartial advice from an elite panel of business experts from firms such as PricewaterhouseCoopers, BP and the Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS).

Free to enter

It is hoped that the Government's rescue package will stop the slump in car buying that has threatened so many jobs within the sector. Dubbed the 'Oscars' of the business world, MX offers its own form of support to the manufacturing sector during a recession because it is free for any firm of any size to enter - and what is more, companies have even longer to sign up because the deadline has been extended for the first time.

Sponsors and Partners of MX have also expressed delight in the rescue package and its effect on MX. David Wright, Chief Executive of the MAS West Midlands, says: "With the automotive supply chain being a major employer in the Midlands, the whole region has been hit hard by the decrease in car production - especially as the latest figures reveal that the number of cars produced in December last year fell 47.5 per cent compared with December 2007.

"As one of the main manufacturing sectors to suffer a deep impact because of the economic climate, I am delighted that the Government has finally seen fit to offer its support to the motor industry. These companies in trouble may now find the inspiration to enter MX and the extended deadline is sure to encourage them."

Anyone interested in entering should contact Hazel Morgan on 020 7304 6859 or email [email protected].