Specialists in the business of creating value from intellectual property will share their knowledge with the region’s manufacturers at a free event at Rotherham’s Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP).

Patent attorneys Paul Foot and David McWilliams, of Withers & Rogers, one of the leading UK intellectual property law firms, will lead a seminar aimed at helping business people capture and manage the flow of innovation within their companies. The two partners in the firm set up its Sheffield office - its fourth - last September.

Paul Foot said: "In today's cut-throat business environment, a competitive advantage could be lost if a company's intellectual property isn't identified, protected and managed effectively."

The firm's Advanced Engineering group advises clients in fields as diverse as medical devices, motorsport, composite materials, consumer packaging and aerospace technology. In the UK, its clients include a leading supplier of taps, shower and bathroom fittings, a global automotive engineering consultancy and the country's biggest manufacturer of carrier bags. It also advises and acts for individuals, start-up companies, SMEs and a number of UK universities.

The seminar will provide tips on how companies can harvest inventiveness within their organisations, assess the real potential of new technologies, and implement management structures to turn ideas into valuable assets.

The event has been organised by Creative Space Management (CSM), which manages the AMP Technology Centre on behalf of owners Yorkshire Forward.

CSM director Paul Taylor said: "Companies based at the AMP are forging an international reputation for world-beating technologies ranging from an almost waterless washing system to a revolutionary new silicon timing device and sports equipment designs covering the bob skeleton and Formula 1 racing.

"The Park is a real breeding ground for ideas and inventiveness, with collaborations happening more frequently between tenants and indeed companies throughout the region. This event is for all engineering companies, large and small, interested in finding out more about how they can turn their technological advances into competitive advantage."