Innovating Tradition – INNOTRAD

Innotrad brings together the universities of Wolverhampton and UCE Birmingham, with the Coventry Clothing Centre to support technological innovation within two traditional industries of the West Midlands; leather and textiles.  Partners in Tuscany, PIN Florence, will work alongside the West Midland group to develop clustering activities with SME’s in these traditional industries. 

 

The project will look at innovative solutions to the issues facing these sectors, particularly those involving links to the FE and HE knowledge providers, other sector knowledge providers, and compare current links and their impacts in Italy and the West Midlands with the sectors SMEs. 

 

The West Midlands traditionally had both strength and international recognition in these sectors; particularly the saddlery industry in Walsall, and textiles in Coventry, and the project will run two pilot programmes bringing innovation through technology to clusters of SME’s in both sectors.  The Tuscan region is also a traditional manufacturer of leather goods and textiles for fashion, and PIN Florence have specific expertise in business support and research for the textiles and clothing sectors. 

 

The overall aim of Innotrad will be to support the application of innovation in SME’s through the review of best practice, supporting new business networks and clusters both regional and transnational, and introducing technology as a clustering support within these traditional sectors.  Reports and evaluations produced following the pilot programmes will be made available on project completion. 

 

For more information please contact NetInfinity

Tel:0121 3317922

or visit the website

http://www.district-rfo.eu/index.php