Sussex manufacturers can now tap into a new service dedicated to helping them become world-class.

The Department of Trade-sponsored Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) was launched by Alan Johnson, minister for employment and the regions.

The MAS will provide manufacturing companies with guidance on best practice, help them get in touch with new sources of funding and business improvement initiatives and deliver services to inc-rease productivity and raise profits.

The Engineering Employers' Federation South is running the MAS in the South- East in its role as the centre of manufacturing excellence.

The service is supported by the South-East England Development Agency (Seeda) as a means of helping manufact-urers in the region to become world-class.

Manufacturing contributes more than £17 billion to the South-East's economy.

Mr Johnson said: "These are tough times for manufact-uring but be in no doubt, manufacturing matters to this Government and is central to our future as a leading, knowledge-driven economy."

Mark Eaton, the head of the service, said up to three-quarters of the region's 21,000 manufacturing companies could do with some help.

He said: "Many managers focus on technology at the expense of the vital systems, processes and staff training that could make all the difference to the bottom line."

The MAS will have specialist manufacturing advisers based across the region covering Sussex, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Kent, Surrey, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.

In addition, a range of dedicated services will be provided, including hands-

on advice, on-site, from experienced manufacturing professionals.