Project
LCR 4.0 Website
LCR 4.0 was instrumental in transforming Liverpool City Region’s manufacturing sector through digital innovation.
What is it about?
LCR4.0 was a project financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) that supported manufacturing SMEs within the Liverpool City Region to realise the potential of digital transformation.
LCR4.0 was instrumental in transforming Liverpool City Region’s manufacturing sector through digital innovation. As part of the programme, businesses had access to the expertise, technology and collaboration opportunities they needed to boost productivity and drive innovation.
The project was delivered by the Virtual Engineering Centre (VEC) at the University of Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores University, Sensor City, STFC Hartree Centre and the Liverpool City Region LEP.
Why is it important?
The legacy of the LCR4.0 project, where over 300 SMEs accessed support for growth and the impact delivered to the region included; 248 R&D collaborations, 61 direct new jobs, 57 new products to market and 88 new products to firms, has secured further SME support within Liverpool City Region. This project is on target to generate £31m GVA and create 955 jobs over six years within the Liverpool City Region.
The LCR4.0 programme was hailed as an ‘exemplar project’ in the Made Smarter Review, and featured in the Top 100 European Digital Champions list by the Financial Times.
The legacy of this project has subsequently secured otherdigital transformation projects within initiatied such as the LCR4 START project - helping SMEs gain a competitive edge through the development of practical strategies for effective digital adoption.
Perspectives
The revenue generated and jobs created within the Liverpool City Region demonstrate the tangible impact of the LCR4.0 programme to date and show that digital innovation can help small businesses punch above their weight and future proof their business with the correct digital adoption strategies in place.
Lynn
Dwyer
University of Liverpool
