KGP's team of experts in the automotive and motorsport sectors are set to providing mentoring, advice, market research and supply chain contact building for all companies in the East Midlands who elect to avail themselves of the service. The (brokerage) service is free-of-charge to all Small to Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs).The funding is provided by The East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and the European Regional Development Fund.

The theme is INNOVATION. Through innovation companies can  grow their business, get into new sectors, raise the value added in their commercial contracts and much more. Innovation can be applicable to products, processes, business strategy and marketing or any combination.

In addition, our expert team includes consultants with in-depth knowledge well outside the automotive and motorsport sectors (Energy, Defence, Telecoms etc.) So anything that most people could throw at us as an ambition is likely to be considered.

Brian Knibb, KGP's Chairman, says 'While the funding for the free-of-charge part of our work is not large, I believe we can provide a good pathfinder service for those companies that have aspirations for a  better more balanced business and higher added value'.

iNet projects completed or underway so far show the diversity of coverage possible:

The diversity of interest and requirements for brokerage support is amply demonstrated by the brief descriptions of  just a few of the 55 projects:

• Market access scoping study for a premium vehicle seat producer with light weight design ideas.
• Investigating opportunities for a marine fabrications company to expand in motorsport and defence procurement contracts.
• Investigating opportunities and routes to market for a motorsport company with a novel gearshift design to extend its business into mainstream automotive.
• Undertaking a strategic workshop for a small motorsport design and development company that has developed new titanium alloys with enhanced properties that could be applied to aerospace and defence sectors. Alan Williams guided and facilitated this project.
• Various projects investigating ways to get into the renewable energy sector.
• Preliminary business and IP strategy for a company in motorsport transmissions wishing to investigate opportunities in the wider automotive field.
• Investigating routes to market opportunities and contacts in the marine sector for a company currently in motorsport.
• Developing routes to market for a woodworking machinery manufacturer interested in moving into the automotive sector.
• Undertaking a market access scoping study for an independent vehicle servicing operation interested in breaking into the new vehicle market by exploiting changes in block exemption regulations.
• Evaluating prospects for a technology park on the Rockingham Speedway complex undertaken by Joe Dickinson.

KGP’s network may have views and suggestions on how other regions may be encouraged to adopt a similar approach to supporting their automotive SMEs.