Turning Vision into Investment: Will the Industrial Strategy Deliver?

IPE: How would you summarise the significance of the new Industrial Strategy for the UK manufacturing sector?

James Selka: We are genuinely pleased to see an Industrial Strategy for the UK focused around productivity, innovation, competitiveness and resilience. Having a government which buys into the ambition of a renaissance of UK manufacturing, enabled by the latest technologies, gives us an opportunity to compete on the global stage. 

IPE: Which elements of the strategy do you think will have the most immediate impact? 

JS: We were really pleased to see ‘Advanced Manufacturing’ explicitly named as one of the eight key sectors. We will be working to ensure that government understands that the term doesn’t just refer to the finished products but that anything that the technology that MTA members supply touches has to be within its scope.

The most immediate transformative impacts - the quick wins - will come with the adoption of the latest manufacturing technologies: which is why it is a priority to accelerate their adoption. The Strategy provides for that in the shape of the roll out of the Made Smarter programme and a series of new Robotics and Automation Hubs. In fact, the whole strategy centres on bringing UK industry up to world class, which depends on deploying the latest technologies. Investment in manufacturing technology can be absolutely transformational in terms of productivity and incredibly affordable, up and down supply chains, for large companies and SMEs alike. Our members, and the businesses that rely on them, know that - it’s welcome to see recognition of the fact from government.

IPE: The strategy sets out a ten-year vision. How important is this long-term approach for planning and investment decisions for the manufacturing sector?

JS: Having a 10-year plan is vital and means businesses can focus on moving forward. What the Industrial Strategy’s has to say about funding makes it clear that in the medium to long term government sees it was being wider than just for new innovations. Historically, members often saw funding as only available from bodies such as Innovate UK which had a clear innovation remit: but whilst this remains important, the strategy references the British Business Bank and National Wealth Fund indicating they’re keen to see UK companies grow and upscale. Longer term investment plans are essential, you could argue that British businesses behaviour in the last 30 years or so, too often tactical and short term rather than strategic and long term, has been a key reason for our laggardly rates of investment – we have allowed ourselves to be outperformed be our international peers.

IPE: What role do you see trade associations like the MTA playing in helping government deliver the ambitions set out in the strategy?

JS: Trade Associations have been underutilised by government in recent years. They can act as an effective, responsive, way to have conversations with wider industry and often play a role in global business networks. The MTA, for example, has a key role in influencing international standards and collects market intelligence unavailable anywhere else.

As an association, we will be looking to continue our involvement with an initiatives such as Made Smarter, and the newly announced Robotics and Automation Hubs, and we will continue to support our members in developing the skills needed to use the technologies of the future.

IPE: Looking ahead, how will you gauge whether the Industrial Strategy is delivering on its goals for manufacturing growth?

JS: Success will be about driving up the level of business investment, creating and sustaining more high quality jobs , growing our exports because we are more competitive in international markets, and a building a secure and more resilient economy less prone to market and geopolitical shocks. If those indicators are positive in ten years-time, and pointing in the right direction in five, then we will be able to say the Industrial Strategy delivered.

James Selka is CEO of the Manufacturing Technologies Association

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