RESULTS of a ground-breaking study could trigger cost savings of hundreds of thousands of pounds and perhaps generate millions more in sales for high-tech companies in York.

Leaders of 230 high-tech ventures in the city are being called to a meeting next week to discuss the outcome of a four-months' study into how they can streamline their supply chains.

The £30,000 initiative, by Science City York, the partnership of the University and the City of York Council, involved the scrutiny of seven pilot firms by Gareth Owens Commu-

nications.

The York consultancy set out to demonstrate how the city's high tech companies can become more competitive by improving their supply chain practice, and where possible and appropriate, to use local suppliers.

Now the city's 230 firms have been invited to a business breakfast, titled Enhance Competitiveness, at York's National Railway Museum on Wednesday March 6 in a bid to roll out the benefits.

The outcome of the study has left Anna Rooke (right), project manager for Science City York "tremendously pleased".

She said: "It provided real benefits to all the participants. As far as we are aware, we do not know of any other high-tech supply chain programme elsewhere in the UK. It is a real first for York."

The seven pilot firms studied were the National Railway Museum, Smith & Nephew, MSS Clean Technology, Pharmalicensing.com, York Multimedia Network, Sensor Care Systems and ioko365.

Each one of them is said to have achieved real benefits, ranging from cost savings, more effective procurement and internal systems, and increased sales, to greater efficiency in third party sales/distribution agreements, improved cash flow from order-to-pay processes and closer co-operation with like-minded complementary businesses to explore new revenue streams and market opportunities.

The last benefit was plainly seen last week when York Multimedia Network of Swinegate linked arms with two other hugely creative multi-media firms in the city to launch Creation.

Under the Creation banner, York Multi Media along with Revolution software of King Street, which created the interactive Who Wants to Be a Millionaire computer game, and KMA Interactive Media of Pavement, responsible for super-sophisticated video-conferencing equipment, will share expertise and collaborate in new projects.

Anna Rooke said: "We are assessing what follow-up programmes to put in place over the next few months to assist more high technology firms."

Limited places are still available for the breakfast by contacting Andrew Stevenson at 01904 554433

Updated: 11:02 Tuesday, February 26, 2002