Made in Yorkshire, part of the Made in Group, recently participated in a roundtable discussion with more than 20 leading figures, including members of the group, to discuss some of the most pressing issues facing the manufacturing sector. Hosted by the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub in conjunction with Made Smarter and The Yorkshire Post, the discussion centred around the challenges and opportunities facing the industry in light of issues around people, procurement, and ESG.
Andy Makin, MD of Envirovent, which provides ventilation solutions for the public and private sectors, also participated in the roundtable. He highlighted the growing demand for his company's services and the challenges that come with scaling up. He emphasised the need to increase capacity with extra automation to improve productivity, while also enhancing the skills of the workforce. He also shared his frustrations related to accessing funding streams, stating that the process can be time-consuming and ultimately result in wasted effort.
Caroline Broad, the business development and communications manager and Made in Yorkshire Patron at Clarion Solicitors, spoke at the roundtable and shared her insights. She said that Clarion was providing advice to a number of manufacturing businesses who were devising strategies to improve their resilience. She highlighted that issues around people, procurement, and ESG were to the fore, and that some businesses were looking at how long they were keeping their manufacturing facilities operational in order to manage their energy costs and help them weather economic storms.
Broad emphasised the importance of investing in innovation, as the opportunities can be endless and can take many forms for manufacturers. However, labour shortages continue to be a concern for the sector. As such, immigration solutions are becoming increasingly popular, especially among companies of all sizes that are facing skills shortages.
She noted that technical roles required for innovation projects can be supported through links with academia, but some companies were needing to look overseas to help fill specific skills gaps. Clarion are a regular contributor to the mastermind discussions held by Made in Yorkshire where members meet up to share best practice and discuss key issues, including people and skills, industry 4.0, international trade, and sustainability.
The Made in Group is a knowledge network for industry and has a key focus on uniting the industrial base in the UK to retain industrial capacity and give SMEs a voice and way to project their sector. In addition to participating in discussions like the recent roundtable, members of Made in Yorkshire have access to the Made Futures job board and employer branding material such as 'Made Equal.' Through its campaigns, Made in Yorkshire aims to help make manufacturing more appealing as a place to work.
Made in Yorkshire continues to engage with industry leaders and members to stay informed about the challenges facing the manufacturing sector. Through its regular mastermind discussions, the group provides a platform for members to share best practices and work together to find solutions to the challenges facing the sector. With a focus on innovation, sustainability, and people and skills, Made in Yorkshire is working to ensure that the manufacturing sector in Yorkshire remains competitive and continues to thrive.