A firm which makes hi-tech monitoring equipment has saved thousands of pounds and seen a long-running business problem solved – thanks to a free business support scheme developed by the IfM.

Radio-Tech Ltd makes wireless electronic devices for everything from spotting the build-up of legionella, the bacteria which causes the potentially life-threatening Legionnaires' disease – to electronic smart meters.

The Harlow-based company has just taken part in the Manufacturing Transformation Programme (MTP), promoted as the Essex Manufacturing Innovation and Growth programme by our partners Essex County Council.

It is designed to help small and medium-sized manufacturing companies  deliver long-term improvements through an achievable action plan, while being mentored by an experienced practitioner.

Ade Asefeso, the firm's Operations Director, said taking part in the scheme had saved his firm thousands of pounds and had a significant impact on the business.

"I think we are a fairly typical SME, it's not that we don't know what's wrong with us, or how to fix it, but we don't have the time to fix it.”

The firm's mentor, IfM practitioner John McManus, suggested Radio-Tech might benefit from additional resource and introduced them to a well-qualified graduate with the specific remit of implementing the MTP action plan.

The 12-week subsidised placement was easily arranged under a Graduate Internship Scheme run by Anglia Ruskin University.

"What really excited me was through the project we were able to bring in a Cambridge graduate to an SME of this size; normally it would cost you thousands and he was able to focus on a particular business issue...

"I was quite surprised that within three days he came back with a solution, not only that he thought of how to protect the device but with physical instructions of how to do it. Basically I think the graduate scheme is the best thing since sliced bread".