Glyn Jones to chair Made Smarter

Glyn Jones, who has enjoyed a career of more than 30 years at BAE Systems, is to chair the North West division of Made Smarter.

The organisation has been created to encourage manufacturing businesses to adopt new technologies including 3D printing, artificial intelligence and augmented reality. It has inspired more than £2m of investment so far.

Glyn has been been a key player in the delivery of the Tempest programme at BAE, leading a team of around 1,000 engineers and manufacturers. He replaces Andrea Thompson, also of BAE Systems, as chair of Made Smarter and will oversee the development and delivery of the programme in the area. 

Glyn said: “As someone who is very much a product of the North West the prospect of helping businesses across the region runs through the core of me. I have spent my career introducing new technology and digital capability and seen the considerable benefits they can bring. I am energised and optimistic about the opportunity Made Smarter brings to SME manufacturers.

“Since Made Smarter launched it has delivered a programme which has made a significant difference to a number of the region’s SME manufacturers, but the coronavirus pandemic means we face significant new challenges in terms of production processes, workforce, and supply chain constraints.

“Technology has been at the heart of the response to these challenges, whether that is finding new ways of working during the restrictions we have been operating under, or using our capabilities to rapidly produce parts for ventilators or protective equipment for those on the frontline tackling the virus."rom the current situation even stronger than they are today.”

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