BETA working with AIMS and other partners to help with the introduction of Industrial 4.0 in the Scottish Borders

BETA is now on the board for a project called Advancing Innovative Manufacturing in the south of Scotland (AIMS) which you may have heard of.

AIMS is one of the twelve projects under the Advancing Manufacturing Challenge Fund (AMFC). Which was announced by Fiona Hyslop, the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture, being jointly funded by the European Regional Development Fund and Scottish Government through the. It has £15.8 million investment for academic institutions, public bodies, and third sector organisations to deliver projects that will help Scottish SMEs improve their manufacturing capabilities. Dumfries and Galloway Engineering Forum and Scottish Borders Training Association have successfully bid for a funding allocation of £3.3m to deliver the Advancing Innovative Manufacturing in the South of Scotland (AIMS) project

Below is a short video of the equipment we have purchased and are putting into place at Dunfries and Galloway College and Borderds College

This project is for manufacturing SMEs in the South of Scotland and will provide access to advanced manufacturing technologies. The project will focus on supporting SMEs who have potential new products, to help develop them for market, upskilling the workforce, encouraging innovation and attracting new businesses to the region.

Services will include:

Training and upskilling the workforce

R&D investment/innovation/concept development

Product realisation

Enabling a manufacturing ecosyste

The project will be delivered through a regional hub and spoke approach aligned with the Skills and Learning Network launched by Dumfries and Galloway and Borders Colleges. Hosted from The Bridge in Dumfries and linking with the Textiles Centre of Excellence in the Borders, partnership working will be developed through siting the advanced equipment within the hub and spoke arrangements in both colleges. Additionally, the project will investigate the feasibility of siting equipment within an appropriate host business premises.

BETA as a board member reaches out to the SME’s it knows and is asking what you would like to see regards equipment and training. The information you supply will help on decision making as to what the SMEs in the Scottish borders are looking for help with