1. Background
National Manufacturing Competitiveness Levels (NMCL) was a system developed by an ADS Group Limited (ADS) and Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT) led consortium, supported by industry primes and OEMs.
The Consortium had established a national, quality assured, best practice approach to improving the competitiveness of manufacturing supply chain companies to:
• Raise workforce capability
• Increase productivity
• Boost UK economic growth
• Increase export levels
NMCL Automotive was a programme that used the NMCL system to support the automotive sector. The programme utilised £16m of Government funding to engage with over 100 companies over three years.
The funding was used to support improvement activities in the automotive supply chain through training, coaching and mentoring.
2. Purpose
The purpose of this document was to summarise the eligibility criteria for beneficiaries under the NMCL Automotive programme.
3. Key Eligibility Criteria
To be a successful beneficiary on the NMCL Automotive programme, the following key eligibility criteria must have been met.
A. The Beneficiary must have been located in the UK and undertake all of the NMCL related training in the UK.
B. The NMCL Automotive Programme was open to suppliers of all sizes however priority will be given to small & medium sized enterprises (SME). Therefore:
a) 80% of beneficiaries will be small and medium size enterprises (businesses with less than 250 employees and a turnover of less than €50 million).
b) Subsidiaries or wholly owned enterprises of larger groups are eligible if they meet the SME criteria.
c) 20% of the beneficiaries may be larger companies.
C. A manufacturer of one or more of the following products:
Vehicles. Cars, heavy, medium and light commercial vehicles, buses and coaches, road tractors, trailers and semi-trailers, battery electric vehicles, agricultural and industrial tractors and off highway vehicles, motorised and trailer caravans, motorbikes.
Components. All parts, tyres and engines used in the manufacture of the vehicles above.
Accessories. Equipment, bodywork and materials for the purpose of being fixed to, or used in the vehicles above.
Automotive Software. Any software, (or firmware or embedded software), related to automotive industry specific products or services.
Production Equipment. Equipment designed to enable the manufacture of automotive products.
D. The improvement activities must have aligned with the strategic priorities set out in the Automotive Sector Deal
And the Beneficiary must be:
E. Able to satisfy Financial Due Diligence checks undertaken by Finance Birmingham
F. Able to Satisfy Anti Money Laundering checks (Know Your Customer-KYC) undertaken by Finance Birmingham
G. Able to satisfy State Aid requirements, with the assessment made by lawyers appointed by Finance Birmingham.
H. Willing to undertake an agreed improvement project
I. Willing to meet their obligations set out in the Beneficiary Agreement
J. Be endorsed for suitability by the Grant Authority
K. Be endorsed for suitability at Main Gate (having met the requirements A – J) by the Automotive Sector Board
4. Key Success measures
The key success measures for NMCL Automotive were:
a. Increased firm-level labour productivity;
b. Increased firm-level GVA and profitability;
c. Increased firm level competitiveness;
d. Business retained due to implementation of the improvement plan;
e. Business generated due to implementation of the implementation plan;
f. Jobs safeguarded and created