AN EAST Lancashire business leader today welcomed a new manufacturing action plan for the North West which will see almost £20 million of new investment come to the region.

The blueprint -- 'Agenda for change' -- was launched by Industry Minister Jacqui Smith at the North West Manufacturing summit in Bolton.

She hailed the plan as an ambitious programme to give business leaders the support to build a stronger and more sustainable manufacturing base. Mike Murray, chairman of East Lancashire's Business Link, said manufacturers had been crying out for government assistance.

Mr Murray said: "Any government help for industry in East Lancashire is more than welcome.

"I hope we will be given the opportunity to influence how this money is spent and make sure it goes to the companies who need it the most."

The action plan has been developed by the Manufacturing Institute in partnership with the Northwest Development Agency. Its key strands include:

Investing around £18 million to create productivity improvements of £50 million for North West manufacturing firms.

*introducing new initiatives to help manufacturers implement sustainable improvements.

promoting a positive image of manufacturing in the North West.

The summit, organised by the Manufacturing Institute in association with the NWDA, brought together leading companies, organisations and experts to share and promote manufacturing best practice.

Jacqui Smith said: "There can be no doubt that we must compete on the basis of high skills, innovation and productivity. This summit will ensure that we also actively share each other's good ideas so that the bar of UK manufacturing is raised even higher.

"The North West has the largest number of manufacturing employees in the UK at 446,000 so I am delighted that this regional centre is having such a positive effect."