More than 160 Leicestershire companies have so far benefited from £6.6 million of EU support.
The Collaborate for Growth and the Digital Growth Programme - funded through the European Regional Development Fund and partners - have helped dozens of businesses with their growth plans and relocations over the past couple of years.
The Collaborate scheme has contributed £3.1 million for capital investments while the Digital Growth Programme has given £3.5 million for technology projects.
Firms have also gained one-to-one business advice through the schemes, which are partnered by Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council, East Midlands Chamber and the Food and Drink Forum.
The schemes are open to existing firms with fewer than 250 employees, trading business-to-business in Leicester and Leicestershire.
County council leader Coun Nick Rushton recently visited two of the businesses, Assured Solutions in Measham and Charles Blyth & Co, based in Castle Donington, to see first-hand how the support has helped them.
He said: “It’s wonderful to see how the Collaborate for Growth and Digital Growth Programme are helping forward-thinking businesses across the county to overcome challenges, create new jobs and grow.
“Working with our partners at Leicester City Council, East Midlands Chamber, the LLEP and the Food and Drink Forum, there is a genuine sense of collaboration to engage with and support local businesses to grow and prosper for the good of the local economy.”
Assured Solutions of Measham is a family-owned chemical manufacturing business with 32 staff.
It makes and distributes cleaning and maintenance products to resellers under their own label.
Funding of £25,000 from Collaborate helped them relocate their manufacturing plant from Dudley to Leicester and buy a semi-automatic filling machine.
The support has created three new full-time posts and enabled them to double capacity and fulfil increased demand and orders.
The business also received a technology grant from the Digital Growth Programme of £24,000 for new IT including automated machines on the production line and new software to streamline production, order processing and stock control.
Director Raj Naik said: “The funding through Collaborate made our decision to relocate and invest in the new machinery that much easier and has resulted in greatly increased productivity and greater job satisfaction for the employees.”
Charles Blyth & Co is also family-owned, making pocketed springs for mattress companies such as Hypnos, Silent Night and Rest Assured.
The business was struggling with capacity and a £16,734 Collaborate grant contributed towards a new pocket spring machine, allowing them to make bigger mattress parts.
Chairman Stuart Blyth said: “This new machine increased our production capacity by 13.9 per cent.
“Over the last year, with increased capacity, we have secured further contracts that have resulted in the establishment of a new framing department to meet the increased demand which in turn has increased our direct labour base from 33 to 38 employees.”
Both businesses are also located in areas that have been upgraded through the Superfast Leicestershire programme and can enjoy speeds of up to 56mbps download and 10mbps upload through fibre broadband.
Although Collaborate funding has now been allocated the project continues to offer free, specialist business advice along with a range of business growth workshops.
Businesses interested in future funding can contact the team to be put on a waiting list.
Technology grants from £2,000 to £40,000 are still available from the Digital Growth Programme providing around a third of the total investment for eligible businesses.
For further information visit www.llepbizgateway.co.uk/collaborate or www.ebusinessclub.biz
