EEF launches ‘Manufacturing Week’ - Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry, UK

EEF, the manufacturers' organisation has today launched a week long campaign to promote manufacturing in the East Midlands. 'Manufacturing Week' will take place from 1-5 March and is part of a long running campaign designed to promote the success of the sector and policies to promote a better balanced economy.

The week will begin on Monday 1 March and will involve a series of regional and national events around the UK aimed at manufacturers, politicians of all parties including prospective parliamentary candidates, the media and other key stakeholders.

These will include site visits to companies for sitting and prospective candidates, with the week culminating in the launch of EEF's manufacturing manifesto. This will suggest refreshed policies to create an internationally competitive business environment for manufacturing and one that sends the right signals to would-be investors and a pro-active agenda for growth.

The week long campaign is also aimed at debunking the popular myth that the UK has lost its manufacturing base. A website has been set up that will contain case studies of world leading companies and letters to prospective parliamentary candidates inviting them to visit facilities and show their support for the sector.

The website will also provide companies and individuals with the opportunity to pledge their support for the sector by adding their name to a roll-call.

Furthermore, it will also contain downloadable facts and figures which highlight the success of the sector, for example: 

·            Manufacturing in the East Midlands directly employs around 260,000 people

·            It accounts for over 16% of full time jobs in the East Midlands

·            75% of business R&D in the UK is carried out by manufacturers, worth almost £12 billion

·            The UK aerospace industry is the second largest in the world, employing over 100,000 highly skilled people and worth £17.9 billion

·            UK manufacturing is worth over £130 billion

Commenting on the week long campaign, EEF Midlands Regional Director, Martin Wassell said:

"This week will give the perfect opportunity to celebrate the success of manufacturing and tell politicians and the public why manufacturing is so important to our future. We have to tackle the myth that the UK doesn't have a manufacturing sector and set out how our sector can take a more important role than it has done in the recent past.”

"Our over-reliance on financial services has been exposed during the recession and the shift to a more balanced economy will require the next government of whatever colour to think and act differently. It's a huge task but we have to start now."

Companies wishing to get involved in the week and the campaign can do so by visiting the manufacturing week website www.lovemanufacturing.co.uk

ENDS

EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation is the representative voice of manufacturing in the UK together with ECIA, the Engineering Construction Industry Association and UK Steel. EEF has a growing membership of almost 6,000 companies of all sizes, employing some 900,000 people from every sector of engineering, manufacturing, engineering construction and technology-based industries.