Manufacturing continues to be the North West’s main economic driver

A major report launched today (Thursday, 12 September) finds that the North West region still retains the largest manufacturing sector in the whole of the UK, with just over 323,000 employees.

The report, ‘Manufacturing and Nuclear in the North West’, has been prepared by New Economy as part of a research collaboration between the North West’s five sub-region’s: Cheshire and Warrington, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, and Liverpool.

It focuses on the strengths of the North West’s manufacturing and nuclear sectors and is being launched at the Business Growth Hub’s Manufacturing Matters conference.

In addition, it demonstrates that manufacturing productivity has increased as the sector continues to be a major generator of wealth, producing more gross value added (GVA) per employee than any other sector in the region – approximately £51,000 per employee per annum in 2011 (compared to the national average of £35,000 per employee across all sectors).

The report also cites an array of sub-sector strengths in manufacturing and nuclear.

These include:

• Aerospace: 16,000+ employees (a 20% national share).
• Automotive: 9,000+ automotive employees (a 16% national share, second only in size to the West Midlands).
• Ship-building: 6,000+ employees (nearly one-third of the national share). The North West has the highest share of employees in this sector).
• Chemical manufacture: 26,000 employees (25% national share). The North West is also the largest regional chemicals exporter - achieving exports in excess of £13 billion in 2011.
• Nuclear processing: 8,500 employees (almost 90% national share) with Cumbria and Lancashire accounting for almost all (99%) nuclear fuel processing employment in Great Britain.

Juergen Maier, managing director for Siemens Industry and chair of the North West Business Leadership Team, said: “Manufacturing in the north of England is perceived by many as a sector that long ago disappeared with the last century’s post-industrial decline. This report highlights how that perception couldn’t be further from the truth and in particular how the North West still leads the way in this highly important sector.”
“Drawing on the strengths of the sector, the report makes a number of key recommendations which importantly includes better ways to link and combine other regional strengths and assets - such as higher education and the digital sector - to help support and drive industrial growth''

The report is being launched at the Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) Manufacturing Matters conference at Salford City Stadium on Thursday 12th September which brings together manufacturers from across the North West together to celebrate, share and explore manufacturing excellence in the region.

Richard Jeffery, director of the Business Growth Hub which operates the MAS service in the North West, said: “The past few years have been tough for this sector, globally as well as regionally, and we need to understand and share what we have learnt from this lean period and use it to drive the industry forward ever further and to build a solid foundation for the next generation of manufacturing businesses.”

The full report, ‘Manufacturing and Nuclear in the North West’, will be available to view here: http://neweconomymanchester.com/stories/1768-other_publications