Almost £2 million of capital aid is still available to West Midlands manufacturers, a conference has heard.

More than 130 delegates at the Manufacturing Advisory Service's (MAS) Supply Chain Conference were urged to tap into the £1.89 million funding pot ahead of a deadline for applications next March.

More than 80 manufacturing companies in the region have already received nearly £500,000 which is estimated to have preserved circa 1,200 jobs.

The funding, which comes from the European Regional Development Fund and UK government, is available in grants of up to £10,000 and is aimed at supporting companies looking to enter new markets, encourage innovation, boost international trade and create new jobs.

MAS area director for the North and West Lorraine Holmes told delegates: "The entire conference has been set-up to explore how our manufacturing SMEs can take advantage of the upturn in the global industry and the UK's new found popularity with international original equipment manufacturers.

"Automotive has obviously taken up a lot of the media headlines but we are also seeing growth within aerospace, electronics and emerging markets, such as offshore wind.

"One of our roles at MAS is to ensure our SMEs are aware of these opportunities and, more importantly, are in a position to take advantage of them.

"The £1.89 million we have left can really unlock potential and provide the transformation some manufacturers are striving for."

The conference, held at RAF Cosford yesterday, featured keynote addresses from Jaguar Land Rover's Rita Davey, who discussed future proofing engineering skills, and Tim Holmes from Aero Engine Controls who spoke about meeting the expectations of aerospace customers.

Dr Andrew Mair, of the Midlands Aerospace Alliance, also gave an insight into the growth of the region's aerospace cluster and its key strengths.