The adoption of modern production control software applications, such as RedAnt, has profound implications for efficiency and productivity among SME manufacturers, and could significantly boost UK manufacturing output over the next few years.

The saying ‘speculate to accumulate’ has been in existence for more than 70 years: businesses must be prepared to invest to make meaningful gains. While this implies a degree of operational risk– the truth is that businesses cannot prosper unless they make significant investments in their assets which, for manufacturers, are facilities, materials, equipment, and personnel.

The skills shortage affecting the UK’s manufacturing sector is well-documented, the result of a combination of factors, including the changing face of the British workforce, the political upheaval of recent years, and the long-term impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Although many fields of industry are affected, manufacturing is suffering the most, with an estimated 85 per cent of businesses in the sector experience problems because of a shortage of skilled workers.

For months, news coverage has been dominated by talk about the possibility that the UK economy will soon be hit by a major recession. It’s something we’ve heard plenty of times before, with predicted recessions vastly outnumbering genuine downturns. This being said, it’s sensible for manufacturers to be prepared for all eventualities, including how to operate and to thrive during a possible economic downturn.

In manufacturing, efficiency is key to unlocking success and profitability. Businesses can strive to improve their efficiency in many areas of their operations but, where energy efficiency is concerned, external influences play a significant role in determining how much of your annual budget will be spent on electricity and gas.

Rising energy prices, which have continued unabated this year, have occurred because of increasing global demand, weaknesses in supply, and geopolitical problems, such as the war in Eastern Europe. But according to Government research, manufacturers in the UK could reduce their energy use, on average, by one-fifth by implementing some simple measures.

Research and Development (R&D) tax relief can transform the way your manufacturing business operates, by providing financial incentives for investing in innovation. For businesses keen to enhance their research and development to achieve growth, R&D tax credits are an invaluable way to inject cash into the organisation and address some of the challenges facing manufacturers today.

In this article, we discuss how R&D tax relief works, who is eligible, and how you can make the most of the scheme.

As Liz Truss settles into her new role as Prime Minister, promising that the UK can ‘ride out' any post-pandemic turbulence (we agree with her on this, at least!), now is the ideal time for the Government to take decisive action to bolster perceptions of manufacturing and address the skills shortage that is affecting the industry at present.

In advanced capitalist economies like the UK, countries are judged on their economic strength. A healthy economy can help to bring jobs, raise living standards, improve public services, and promote social stability. But have we lost sight of what really matters in maintaining strong and stable economic growth?

Earlier this year, Labour leader Keir Starmer promised that his party would transform British manufacturing if elected to govern the country, citing a reduction in funding and the loss of over 93,000 jobs since 2010. Needless to say, pledges of this nature are cheap and easy to make in politics.

Despite the plethora of digital processes in the modern economy, recent research indicates that 96% of UK manufacturers feel there has been an underinvestment in digitisation in their sector.

The survey results span a diverse range of areas, from aerospace and defence to medical instruments and electronics, but the sentiments were consistent. Survey respondents overwhelmingly felt that overreliance on legacy technologies was harming the UK's manufacturing industries' prospects.