The Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber’s MACE Group was established around six years ago as a way of bringing together companies from the world of manufacturing, engineering and construction to network and share best practice.
Then, at the end of 2025, it reached out to colleagues in Cambridgeshire to join forces and host events in each other’s areas to broaden the network, resulting in the first event at MIRA.
Sarah Windrum, head of cluster development at MIRA Tech Park, said: “We were privileged to host the inaugural meeting of the CW and Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce MACE event and welcome manufacturers from across both geographies.
“We highlighted the investment we have made in virtual engineering and simulation to reduce the cost and carbon footprint of vehicle and vehicle technology development alongside showcasing the precision measurement equipment manufactured across the world by our parent company HORIBA.
“It was inspiring to hear from SME businesses on the positive opportunities they are creating by encouraging new talent into manufacturing and engineering and by embracing and investing in new technologies themselves."
Tom Mongan, a former president of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, chaired the group and said inviting firms from Cambridgeshire to the event was a positive step.
He said: “I loved the idea of bringing two Chambers of Commerce’s manufacturing groups together and was intrigued and excited by the prospect of chairing the group once again.
“It was an inspirational plan and we were very lucky to have Sarah and her team host us at MIRA Tech Park. They put on a first class event, which left the Cambridgeshire delegation looking forward in eager anticipation to hosting the return event and they had to admit that the bar has been set extremely high!
“After an impressive introductory presentation from Sarah, we were taken on a tour to view two incredible projects currently being undertaken, at what is undoubtedly one of the most valuable manufacturing assets in the UK.
“MIRA Tech Park is a crown jewel in our region and all of the companies working within its cluster are truly world class.
“In my opinion there was no better place to hold the first collaborative meeting between two forward thinking Chambers!
“It was a great chance to come together to collaborate and discuss the issues faced by our sector, to meet companies not normally on our radar and to exchange views with like-minded individuals, all with the potential of finding a new customer or supplier.
“And I’m now really looking forward to the return visit and watching how this group grows!”
Zoe Brennan, events & training manager at Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce, added: “Cross-county collaboration like this is vital for our manufacturing community. By bringing businesses together to share knowledge, explore innovation and strengthen connections, we create real momentum across our regions.
“By working collaboratively and hosting regular cross-county events, we’re helping manufacturers learn from one another, build resilience and drive growth across the wider manufacturing community.”
