Industry Reports

A number of reports have been published recently which address the issues being raised by the Vote Manufacturing campaign.

The following reports can be downloaded here:

ERA Foundation
EEF: The Manufacturer’s Organisation
James Dyson
EngineeringUK
Policy Exchange

Relevant reports will be added to this page as they are published.

ERA Foundation

‘The Sustainability of the UK Economy in an Era of Declining Productive Capability’

There can be no doubt that manufacturing, and productive industry in the broadest sense, must play a critical role in any rebuilding of the UK economy. The UK has benefited from a strong manufacturing base in the past and can again become a major world player if a more fertile environment well-matched to the needs of manufacturing industry is established.

The recovery of the financial services sector following the recession is important, but the nation can no longer be dependent on expectations of that sector’s continued growth and resilience – or be held hostage to its excesses. The growth of other business services, particularly those referred to as ‘knowledge-intensive’, is also welcome, but their scale is insufficient to be a substitute for manufacturing for the foreseeable future. A return to a balanced economy with productive industry at its heart is the only realistic option if the UK is to prosper in an increasingly competitive world.

Download here 1.5Mbyte

EEF: The Manufacturer’s Organisation

Back at the Crossroads: Manifesto for Manufacturing

The new government faces a daunting task. As we emerge from a period of significant economic and financial turbulence, it must decided where we go as an economy.

The decisions made in the first 100 days will have long term implications; they will determine our ability to generate growth and prosperity, to fund much needed infrastructure improvements and to create job opportunities across our society. The government must, therefore, put in place a strategy that ensure we can pay our way in the world. And a diverse and dynamic manufacturing base must be a part of that strategy.

Download here 202kbyte

James Dyson

Ingenious Britain

Now, more than at any time over the past twenty years, I sense there is a real opportunity to set a new vision for our economy. To do this, a new government must take immediate action to put science and engineering at the centre of its thinking – in business, education and, crucially, in public culture.

Download here 632kbyte

EngineeringUK

EngineeringUK 2009/10

The current economic climate has highlighted the importance of the engineering and manufacturing sectors to the UK. It has also led to wider political, media and public awareness of engineering as a means of rebalancing the economy.

Yet, in order to fulfill the popular refrain of ‘less financial engineering, more real engineering’, and turn the UK into a prosperous, high value manufacturing nation, a number of issues need to be urgently addressed. This report examines the current state of the engineering sector in the UK, the changing face of UK manufacturing, and the challenges and opportunities which lie ahead.

Our report identifies tremendous new opportunities for UK manufacturing in green technologies, reducing waste and hence cost in manufacturing. It also highlights the need for skills training to replenish an ageing skills base which, if left unchecked, will put significant pressure on Further Education (FE) where lecturers are in short supply. By 2017, 587,000 new workers will need to be recruited into the manufacturing sector. In addition the public attitude to engineers is changing for the better, creating a platform for potential public policy changes.

Download here 12.4Mbyte

Policy Exchange

Innovation and Industry: A manifesto for manufacturing

The UK is still a major manufacturing economy – the sixth largest in the world. While manufacturing’s share of national income has steadily declined over recent decades, its output was steadily rising until the recession that followed the recent financial crisis. Manufacturers play a vital role in the British economy, providing 2.6million jobs and around half of export earnings. Sustaining a competitive manufacturing industry in the next few years should be a priority as the economy struggles back to growth.