Alconbury Weald Campus hosts first Invest in Huntingdonshire Manufacturing Summit

On 7 September, Alconbury Weald Campus welcomed industry leaders, entrepreneurs and stakeholders to Huntingdonshire District Council’s first Invest in Huntingdonshire Manufacturing Summit, co-sponsored by Alconbury Weald’s master developer, Urban&Civic.

The sold-out event showcased advanced manufacturing excellence and innovation, and positioned Huntingdonshire as the advanced manufacturing capital of the East of England. Several featured speakers, including representatives from Oxford Innovation, Nottingham University and Innovate UK Edge, highlighted the district’s commitment to fostering economic growth and development in this vital industry.

The Summit provided a platform for attendees to gain insights into the latest trends, opportunities and challenges in manufacturing. It also facilitated valuable networking and collaboration opportunities, further strengthening the manufacturing ecosystem in Huntingdonshire.

Executive Councillor for Jobs, Economy and Housing, Cllr Sam Wakeford said: “Manufacturing is a core, foundation sector contributing to approximately 25% of the Huntingdonshire economy. HDC have prioritised and delivered support and funding over the last two years to this vibrant and diverse sector. This is just the first in a series of exciting activities happening during September.”

Businesses were also invited to ask questions of a selected panel, which included senior directors from two of Huntingdonshire’s success stories, Encocam and Paragraf, alongside the new CEO of the Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce. The panel discussion focused on “Strategies for Sustained Growth in the Manufacturing Industry” hosted by the Managing Director of local business consultancy, Shift Momentum. 

Using a mix of strong traditional craft and skilled engineering, the advanced manufacturing sector in Huntingdonshire supports 13,000 jobs, 7% above the national average. Local manufacturing businesses have received more than £7million in innovation grants and have generated over 40 successful patents since 2019.

At the Summit, the Council launched the Huntingdonshire Digitisation Manufacturing Growth Programme(HDMGP); a £280,000 programme of support for the district’s heritage and foundation sector of manufacturing. The HDMGP will support local SMEs in the sector to improve productivity and efficiencies by leveraging greater utilisation of digital technologies.  

Huntingdonshire District Council is looking forward to building on the momentum generated by the Summit and continuing its support for the growth and development of the manufacturing sector within the district.

Rebecca Britton, Regional Director for Urban&Civic, said: “We were delighted to be able to support and host this first Manufacturing Summit. This area has a fine tradition of cutting-edge manufacturing and applying innovative technology to support established sectors, and part of the vision for Alconbury Weald’s enterprise campus is to provide space for local companies to grow as well as provide space for inward investment to draw on the skills, energy and collaboration we have locally, and the great quality of life that Alconbury Weald Huntingdonshire offers businesses and their employees.”

To find out more about opportunities to expand or relocate to Alconbury Weald Campus, visit:www.alconbury-weald.co.uk/working