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Automotive Sector Initiatives

SMMT Industry Forum

Tel: 0121 717 6600
Web: www.industryforum.co.uk/

SMMT Industry Forum is a world unique collaboration between international vehicle manufacturers and component suppliers. Created by the motor industry for the motor industry, its aim is to develop and sustain world-leading competitiveness in the UK based vehicle and components industry. Industry Forum has created a number of programmes based around a common approach which enable a company in any part of the supply chain to make real measurable improvements in Quality, Cost and Delivery, while also improving partnership with its customers.

The National Skills Academy for Manufacturing

Tel: 0121 717 6610
Web: www.manufacturing.nsacademy.co.uk/
World class manufacturing requires world class skills. This is the key driver behind the National Skills Academy for Manufacturing. With employers firmly in the driving seat, NSAM is creating a centre of excellence to tackle the skills priorities of the UK manufacturing sector. NSAM exists to develop world class training products and provision for UK manufacturing. To meet this objective employers and employer groups are at the heart of their product development process.

VIPER

Tel: 0207 215 1968

VIPER was established in 2003 by BERR’s Automotive Unit to provide a ‘one stop policy shop’ for the automotive sector. Representatives of a cross-section of the industry (including all the major vehicle manufacturers) are brought together on a regular basis with officials from across Whitehall. VIPER monitors the policy formulation process in the UK and Europe, scanning the horizon to ensure industry is engaged in all relevant aspects of policy development, facilitating detailed discussion on key subjects at all stages of the policy formulation and implementation process

Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership

Tel. +44 020 7304 7040
Web: www.lowcvp.org.uk

LowCVP is an action and advisory group established in January 2003 to take the lead in accelerating the shift to clean, low carbon vehicles and fuels in the UK. It is a partnership of organisations from the automotive and fuel industries, academia, environmental non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders who are working together with Government. The objectives are set out in the Government’s Powering Future Vehicles Strategy which defines low carbon targets for 10% of new car sales and 20% of new buses in the UK by 2012 in support of the UK’s commitment to the Kyoto Protocol.

Foresight Vehicle Programme

Tel: 0845 009 3838
Web: www.foresightvehicle.org.uk

The sharing of this expertise, through knowledge transfer, is crucial to the industry as a whole. Industry, academia and the Government have come together to create Foresight Vehicle, the UK’s prime knowledge transfer network for automotive applications, seeking to identify critical technologies for sustainable road transport. Foresight Vehicle is now administered by the SMMT.

Cenex - The Low Carbon and Fuel Cells Centre of Excellence

Tel: 01509 635 750
Web: www.cenex.co.uk

Established in April 2005 and jointly funded by industry and BERR, Cenex is helping to build a competitive advantage for the automotive industry in the UK through the shift to a low carbon economy. Its activities will assist UK companies developing low carbon automotive technologies to bring these to market, and showcase the UK’s expertise to encourage inward investment.

innovITS - the Centre of Excellence for intelligent transport systems

Tel: 01865 338012
Web: www.innovits.com

Also established in April 2005, innovITS’ vision is to coordinate the UK’s validation of new and innovative Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) as a catalyst to building world-class products and services that enable the UK ITS industry to compete globally.

Supply Chain Groups

Tel: 01664 501 261
Web: www.supplychaingroups.co.uk

The Supply Chain Groups Programme is a BERR initiative aimed at helping the global competitiveness of the UK automotive and aerospace industries. Bespoke projects tailored to specific issues bring together supply chains to improve their performance and develop world class levels of productivity. The Supply Chain Groups programme, launched as a five year programme in April 2003, closed to new applications in October 2006 and all current projects will finish by March 2008. Out of a total of 62 projects there are 46 in the automotive sector.

Innovation Platforms

BERR Contact telephone: 0207 215 1957
Web: Innovation Platforms

Innovation Platforms are a new way of working for Government and business. Each focusing on a specific area of opportunity, innovation platforms are designed to:

• address major policy and societal challenges
• bring together Government stakeholders and funders
• engage with business and the research community to identify appropriate action
• align policy, regulation and government procurement in support of innovative solutions.

Through this approach, Innovation Platforms aim to deliver a step change in UK performance, in the quality of public services and the ability of UK businesses to provide solutions for the global marketplace.

There are currently two Innovation Platforms with specific relevance to the Automotive Sector: Intelligent Transport Systems and Services and Low Carbon Vehicles. Further details can be found at the Innovation Platforms pages of the BERR website.