Business news in brief

More than 300 small manufacturers are set to benefit from specialist support to access the UK’s rapidly developing £60bn civil nuclear new build programme.

The Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) has joined forces with the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre to roll-out Fit for Nuclear (F4N), which lets companies measure their capabilities against industry standards and helps them bridge gaps to meet requirements.

Backed by partners including Areva and EDF Energy, the initiative offers a business improvement journey that will identify strategy, implement new processes, secure necessary accreditations and provide supplier matching opportunities.

It also offers participating SMEs the chance to apply for match funding for business improvement or R&D projects.

Similarly, over 1,500 delegates from more than 900 firms will converge on London’s Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre on 17 October and at Manchester Central on 23 October to hear from HS2 Ltd what will be needed from industry as preparations are made to start building the first section of the line between the West Midlands and London in just over two years’ time.