MANUFACTURING employment in the region is set to equal that of the heavily industrialised West Midlands within five years, it has emerged.

According to the Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS), manufacturing companies contribute nearly £19 billion each year to the south-east economy.

A further £28 billion of manufactured goods are exported - the highest of all UK regions.

Annie Pearson, head of the MAS south-east, said: "It is little known that by 2010, manufacturing employment in the south-east is expected to equal that of the West Midlands and be higher than any other part of the UK.

"Manufacturing companies contribute almost £19 billion each year to the regional economy and export £28bn of manufactured goods - the highest of all UK regions.

"Against this backdrop, it is imperative that we deliver the support needed by our manufacturers."

MAS says it has helped generate more than £19m in first-year savings and turnover opportunities as a result of partnerships established with manufacturers.

In its first three years, MAS south-east specialists, who all come from industry, have worked with 1,000 companies, handled more than 10,000 enquiries, attracted more than 7,000 delegates to events and established 73 companies in industry networks.

Annie Pearson said: "Typically, we have helped manufacturers to increase productivity by more than 40 per cent and improve delivery times by more than 20 per cent.

"Where I think we have had the greatest impact is in creating a culture of business improvement. Many of our customers now run their own improvement programmes, which is a superb legacy of MAS involvement. "

The MAS is delivered in the South East by EEF south, a regional centre of manufacturing excellence, in partnership with regional development agency SEEDA and with the support of the Business Link network.