Are you a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME)?

Are you looking to fulfil your growth potential?

Are you located in West Yorkshire?

This project aims to add value to your business by delivering measurable business improvements, helping you innovate, equipping you with the understanding, knowledge, and tools:

You can expect:

Access to an Innovation & Leadership Manager who will work with SMEs one-to-one to facilitate the development and delivery of Growth & Innovation Action Plans and manage the SME’s (up to) four-month customer journey.
Advice providing business leaders with knowledge and understanding of how to continually overcome challenges in the long-term.
Grants to help fund improvement projects (subject to eligibility criteria and 50% grant-match funding from the business).
Access to further support via the Leadership service, which will provide coaching and business leader development.

The programme is perfect for established SMEs who have a strong aspiration to overcome barriers and grow through business improvements (through the evolution of product or service offerings, improvements of internal processes, business model developments and more).

The West Yorkshire Business Boost: Innovation and Leadership project is being delivered by Exemplas Limited and is part funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). In West Yorkshire, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority leads the implementation of the Fund as part of the Mayor’s ambition to make West Yorkshire the best place to work, learn and live.

Case studies

Applelec Group: Through the West Yorkshire Business Boost Innovation & Leadership programme, Applelec Group was supported by experts from Exemplas, Leeds Beckett University and Sustainable X.

Launched in 1998, Bradford-based Applelec Group manufactures bespoke signage, displays and architectural lighting. The company has expanded greatly over the past quarter of a century and today serves big-name clients in the UK and exports globally to key markets including the Middle East. Applelec operates from a six-acre business park and employs around 60 people.

The challenge

Applelec is transitioning from a traditional director-owned model to an employee ownership trust that will protect jobs and make the business more sustainable. This new structure has re-invigorated the business and staff, influencing a new mindset and cultural transformation that is positively impacting the business and ensuring a bright and exciting future for everyone. Such a fundamental shift requires a major operational and cultural transformation, so the company was looking for expert help.

The solution

Through the Business Boost Innovation service, they were awarded a grant of £1,100 to implement a bespoke cultural strategy. This is to help employees recognise and embrace internal difference and create a unified, motivated workforce focused on continuous growth.

The programme delivery team connected Applelec with consultant Gary Sifleet from Educe Learning, who helped shape the cultural change programme and provided one-to-one coaching to ensure it was fully embedded.

Taking part in the Innovation service also unlocks access to the Leadership programme. Through this, delivery partner Leeds Beckett University provided Applelec with training for leadership, culture and managing high-performing teams at The Leadership Centre.

Another of their key partners, Sustainable X, carried out a decarbonisation audit to support the company’s move towards a greener future.

Impact and end goal:

West Yorkshire Business Boost has enabled Applelec to re-evaluate and realign its values, mission and purpose. The senior leadership team now has a clear pathway to implement cultural changes and a year-long transformation programme is underway.

The support provided from the Business Boost programme is set to empower the company to successfully embed the employee-owner trust model; increase revenue by 22%; and increase employee headcount from 64 to 80 within three years!

“The support we’ve received has accelerated our plan and provided additional stability to a project that’s crucial both for the company’s future and our workforce. With a renewed focus we’re excited about what’s to come and the collective success of our employee ownership trust. We’re very grateful for all the help to make this happen.” Rachel Gould, Marketing Manager

Source: https://wybusinessboost.co.uk/2024/09/19/a-sign-of-great-things-to-come-for-applelec-group/

Harte Companies

Through the West Yorkshire Business Boost programme, (Innovation and Leadership) Harte Companies was supported by experts from Exemplas and Leeds Beckett University.

Harte Companies is a family-owned, Ossett-based group that designs, manufactures and installs bespoke shopfitting’s, predominantly in the food retail and cosmetics sectors. The company launched in 1973 and has built up a strong reputation for quality, innovation and service, trusted by brands such as Aldi, B&M, Home Bargains and Estee Lauder.

The UKSPF funded West Yorkshire Business Boost: Innovation and Leadership programme began working with Harte in January 2024.

The challenge

The company operates in a highly competitive marketplace. To stay ahead, and grow the business, it needed to improve the capacity of its operations and look at the efficiency of its processes and systems by adopting lean manufacturing techniques.

The solution

Through the Business Boost Innovation and Leadership services, Harte received one-to-one tailored support and access to £1100 grant funding. This allowed Harte to make strategic improvements in three core areas:

Increasing employee awareness and engagement of 5S methodology (sort, set in order, shine, standardize, and sustain) to better organise the working environment and drive efficiency.
Developing a continuous improvement tool to enhance the firm’s systems and processes and to support lean manufacturing.
Carrying out a process-mapping programme to improve process flow and eliminate inefficiencies.

In addition, the programme enabled Harte to engage with a coach who has helped its leaders focus on culture change and create a vision for future growth. The employee and leadership training was provided by key programme partners at the Leadership Centre in Leeds Beckett University.

Impact and end goal: Thanks to the project’s support, Harte’s leadership team has been able to implement several key improvements such as 5S, lean manufacturing and process mapping.

through these new efficiencies and process innovations, the company can now increase capacity to fuel growth,
Harte have seen an increase in orders from their existing customer base,
there is also improved stock control, which will reduce waste,
and wider engagement of 5S across the business, while Harte are about to embark on a comprehensive staff feedback exercise that will provide invaluable staff insights. This will enable the business to fully understand what employees feel about the company and any improvements to be made.

The introduction of new performance objectives and goals for each area of the firm is supporting the drive for continuous improvement.

“The programme of training and development for key members of our operations and production teams will enable Harte to deliver leadership-based innovation initiatives, that can be cascaded throughout the business. This will have a materially positive impact on our efficiency and capacity. The programme was easy to set up via our growth manager and the support of Exemplas.” Kevin Davey, HR Manager, Harte Companies

Harte Companies

Source: https://wybusinessboost .co.uk/2024/06/27/helping-harte-get-fitter-for-the-future/