Manufacturing in need of modern shake up, research finds

An analysis by the Royal Academy of Engineering suggests modern manufacturing should be seen as a central component of the larger industrial system and in turn become a strategic activity within business. The report, Industrial Systems: capturing value through manufacturing, outlines how production is vital for the UK to stay internationally competitive, not only in terms of financial value, but because of enhancing research and enabling commercialisation. It also highlights the importance of maintaining the UK's skills base and quality processes. Professor Steve Garwood FREng, who chaired the study, said: "In an increasingly interconnected world, the challenge for the UK is to understand, marshal and deploy the assets and capabilities necessary to create and capture value. "This report seeks to make a contribution to the promotion of a broader view of the value of manufacturing and the industrial systems in which it operates. We hope it will stimulate new opportunities for capturing economic value." Prof Garwood maintained that the UK's manufacturing base can provide a flexible foundation on which to build new global industries and in turn help to rebalance the UK economy, but only through a renewed focus on high value, high technology manufacturing. The report also calls for more focus on maximising value development throughout the product lifecycle, as well as closer relationships between academics and industry.