The first ever annual review of British manufacturing industry, written by experts and supported by a range of leading engineering companies, has been launched in the region that sparked the industrial revolution.
The UK Manufacturing Review 2015/16 covers the key events, progress and challenges across the manufacturing sector during the last twelve months, whilst also forecasting some of the breaking trends for 2016.
Published by leading technology publisher Stirling Media, the 256-page book features case studies and commentary from more than 270 organisations, ranging from innovative SMEs and multi-national manufacturing groups to R&D centres and trade associations.
Prominent topics such as productivity, Industry 4.0, servitisation and engineering recruitment are all covered, as well as growth sectors including industrial sustainability, additive manufacturing and space.
Will Stirling, founder of Stirling Media and a well-known commentator on the sector, said: “Manufacturing is critical to the British economy and is acknowledged as a creator of high value, highly-skilled jobs at home and crucial to trade with Europe, the US and emerging economies around the globe.
“Despite this, there has never been a high-quality annual publication produced that has been dedicated to engineering and written by people who are experts on each sector and subject. With the UK Manufacturing Review, we are changing that.”
The book contains a wealth of information on the EPSRC’s Centres for Innovative Manufacturing, which are spearheading cutting-edge research into high-value added engineering, from plastic electronics to personalised medical devices.
It also outlines the UK’s relationship with manufacturers in peer-group countries, such as the US, France, Germany, Japan and China.
The UK Manufacturing Review was launched as part of the Manufacturing Technologies Association AGM in Birmingham.
Will continued: “We are delighted to be launching this unique publication to an audience drawn from the heartland of the engineering sector, with the help of an organisation like the MTA, long dedicated to promoting its interests.
“It is time that engineering had a publication that catches a full-year in review and is dedicated to celebrating its modern, high-tech reality and looking to the future, rather than the past.”
The UK Manufacturing Review, which will reach more than 5000 industry professionals this month, has been made possible thanks to the contribution of a number of sponsors, including Airbus, BAE Systems, Barclays Bank, BDO, Bosch, Cranfield University, High Value Manufacturing Catapult, Igus, the Institute for Manufacturing at the University of Cambridge, Renishaw and Technical Publicity.
Tom Lawton, Head of Manufacturing at BDO, concluded: “There is massive brain power in manufacturing at the moment, making it a really exciting time to be involved in the sector.
“This book is a fantastic reflection of all the interesting things going on in industry and importantly a great way of telling other countries exactly what we’ve got to offer.”