Turning Innovation Into Action: How South Yorkshire Manufacturers Are Testing New Ideas

Richard Bland on turning ideas into impact for South Yorkshire manufacturers

For all the talk of innovation, the reality for many manufacturers is more complicated. Time, cost and risk often stand in the way of trying something new, particularly for SMEs already operating under pressure.

That is precisely the gap Business Sheffield and partners have been working to bridge through the Innovation in Action programme – a hands-on initiative designed to help manufacturers test new technologies, solve real operational challenges and, crucially, do so without the usual barriers.

At the centre of it is Richard Bland, the Innovation in Action programme manager, who has spent more than a decade working across South Yorkshire’s advanced manufacturing landscape.

“I started working with partners across the region looking at the potential for an innovation district to help realise the full economic potential of regional assets,” he explains. “We were keen to make sure it wasn’t just about the big players. We wanted SMEs to have a strong voice and to help shape and benefit from how things moved forward.”

STARTING WITH REAL PROBLEMS

Rather than leading with technology, Innovation in Action begins with the day-to-day challenges manufacturers actually face.

“The starting point has been, let’s identify a real issue that’s common to the manufacturing community,” says Richard. “Then let’s work together to develop solutions and try them out in practice.”

This approach first took shape through a pilot focused on energy costs and carbon reduction, at a time when rising bills were putting significant strain on businesses. From there, the model evolved into a structured programme built around discovery, solution design and live trials.

Fifteen manufacturers from across South Yorkshire took part in the latest cohort, each contributing a relatively modest £1,000. In return, they accessed around £5,000 worth of support, alongside expert guidance, peer learning and the opportunity to test multiple technologies.

The aim is simple – to remove the perceived risk of innovation.

“Many SMEs were saying innovation was too costly, too time-consuming or too complicated,” Richard explains. “We’ve created a way of addressing those concerns and de-risking adoption.”

FROM WORKSHOPS TO THE FACTORY FLOOR

The programme begins with intensive discovery workshops, where businesses map out their processes, identify pain points and prioritise opportunities. From there, a network of regional tech providers is brought in to propose solutions.

A ‘marketplace’ event allows manufacturers to explore these options before selecting which technologies they want to trial. Those trials are then deployed over several months, ranging from quick demonstrations to longer-term integrations tracking machine performance or workflow improvements.

In total, the current programme has delivered 31 separate tech trials across the 15 participating businesses.

Importantly, there is no one-size-fits-all approach.

“Most manufacturers have tried two or three technologies,” says Richard. “It’s not about one solution solving everything. It’s about tailoring the approach to each business while still addressing shared challenges.”

COLLABORATION AS THE DIFFERENTIATOR

While the technology itself is important, the real standout feature of Innovation in Action is its collaborative model.

Throughout the programme, manufacturers, tech providers and industry mentors come together regularly to share progress, challenges and insights. These sessions are structured around key themes such as process efficiency, machine optimisation and growth.

For Richard, this peer-to-peer learning has been one of the most powerful outcomes.

“The highlight has been the collaboration and shared learning,” he says. “Not just between manufacturers, but also for the tech providers, who’ve been able to evolve their own products through the experience.”

That cross-sector exchange is already opening up new opportunities. In one example, a tech company specialising in AI-driven operational tools for catering and retail has successfully adapted its platform for manufacturing environments. In another, a traditional Sheffield knife maker is exploring new service-based revenue streams with the help of tailored digital tools.

SUPPORTING CHANGE, NOT JUST TECHNOLOGY

One of the more unexpected lessons from the programme has been the importance of change management.

Alongside its three core themes, Richard says that a fourth has emerged organically – the need to bring people along on the journey.

“We’ve recognised the importance of making sure businesses take their teams with them. Getting that buy-in is critical to making innovation stick.”

Dedicated sessions on change management, supported by experienced mentors, have helped participants navigate this often-overlooked aspect of transformation.

A REGIONAL APPROACH WITH WIDER IMPACT

Although rooted in Sheffield, Innovation in Action is very much a South Yorkshire initiative, supported by the South Yorkshire Innovation Programme (SYIP), industry leaders, and businesses across all four local authorities actively involved.

There is, however, an ambition to go further.

“We want strong representation from across the region,” says Richard. “There’s significant manufacturing strength in Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham, and we’re keen to bring more of those businesses into future cohorts, combining industry know-how with innovation capabilities, to unlock new opportunities.”

The programme is also closely aligned with wider economic priorities.

“It directly delivers on the region’s ambition for a more productive, resilient and competitive business base,” Richard adds. “It aligns with South Yorkshire’s innovation-led Growth Plan and supports long-term economic development by fostering mutually beneficial working relationships between our manufacturers and our rapidly growing, dynamic tech cluster.”

SO… WHAT’S NEXT?

Following strong feedback, and early signs of productivity improvements from participants, plans are already underway for the next iteration of Innovation in Action, subject to securing ongoing funding. The intention is not simply to repeat the model, but to refine and expand it, co-designing future challenges with manufacturers to ensure continued relevance. “The whole programme has been about iterating and evolving,” Richard says. “We’ve done a lot right, but there’s always more we can build on.” For South Yorkshire’s manufacturing community, that iterative approach feels fitting. Innovation, after all, is rarely a single leap – it is a process of testing, learning and improving. And through programmes like this, that process is becoming more accessible, more collaborative and, ultimately, more effective.