MANUFACTURERS need to become leaner, fitter and world-class if UK industry is to beat off its overseas competitors - The Manufacturing Institute chairman Neville Chamberlain told a summit of North-west companies in Bolton.

About 500 manufacturers from across the North-west attended the summit at the Reebok Stadium last week.

Mr Chamberlain said that the US and the North-west shared a heritage of manufacturing and innovation capability. "Few can argue, however, with the UK productivity deficit. UK manufacturers' work hard and long but we live in an age of lean production, when agility, robustness and adaptability are key."

Speakers at the conference and workshops included directors and top manager of companies including Boeing, Ford, Kellogg's, Leyland Trucks and Vauxhall Motors, alongside leading academics including Prof. Dan Jones, founder of the Lean Academy and Prof. Garel Rhys, Director of the Centre for Automotive Industry Research at Cardiff Business School.

As well as spotlighting the steps manufacturers can take to improve productivity and sharpen their competitive edge, the speakers' also highlighted strategic issues and trends that may affect the region's future business planning.

The Summit was organised as part of the support provided by The Manufacturing Institute, based in Manchester, to deliver high impact productivity improvement programmes to North West manufacturers.