Manufacturers across the East Midlands are being invited to join a new region-wide, business-led support network — and it could provide funding towards growth or job creation.

The East Midlands Manufacturing Network aims to help manufacturers share best practices and experience in a trusted peer environment; focus on issues and challenges that are a priority for manufacturing businesses; better understand the financial support on offer; and tap into specialist consultancy and advice on regulation and compliance.

The network will be broken down into regions — Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Dales and Peaks.

It will officially launch at an event at the Belfry, Nottingham, on Tuesday 22 March.

The network is one of many initiatives made possible by the UK Community Renewal Fund (UKCRF), which East Midlands Chamber is delivering, along with academic and other business support partners, under the East Midlands Accelerator project.

Diane Beresford, deputy chief executive of East Midlands Chamber, said: “The East Midlands is a region with a strong manufacturing heritage and with the potential to have an equally strong future.

“What better way to secure the future success of manufacturing in our region than by bringing together key knowledge and skills to form a dedicated, supportive peer network? That’s why it’s so important that the Chamber leads on this.”

The network is open to any manufacturer and those based in UKCRF areas may be eligible for a £2,000 growth voucher towards specialist consultancy support or a grant of £8,000 linked to job creation. UKCRF areas are considered by Government to be those most in need and include Bassetlaw, Mansfield, and Newark and Sherwood.