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News Release from: London Development Agency
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 03 March 2005
London to remain world-class
manufacturing centre
The London Development Agency has a major strategy to help London manufacturers retain their international competitive edge through improved technology, design and staff training.
The London Development Agency will today (Wednesday 2 March) launch a major new strategy to help London manufacturers retain their international competitive edge through improved technology, design and staff training It also aims to help them export more successfully, develop niche markets and win more public sector contracts
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 4 Jan 2007 at 8.00am (UK)
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The plan follows a wide ranging consultation involving over 500 businesses and bodies across sectors including printing, jewellery and engineering.
The consultation highlighted the need to improve levels of productivity, innovation and the skills of people working in manufacturing.
It also stressed the importance of modernising factories and industrial estates as well as the need to improve the sector's image in order to boost recruitment.
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The LDA will be playing a critical role in tackling these issues.
It is announcing a £15m package of help for manufacturers which includes: * Extra funding for the Manufacturing Advisory Service to provide expert, practical support to more manufacturers.
Since its launch in 2002, the service has helped manufacturers increase turnover by £15m and save around £10m through improved processes, training and sharing best practice.
* More funding for schemes so that manufacturers can get advice from leading designers to produce goods that are more attractive to customers.
* Funds to set up a London base for the Year in Industry initiative, which organises work placements for pre-university students in industry, in order to make stronger links between London universities and manufacturers.
* Funding for more schemes to help redeploy skilled people from closing businesses to growing firms that need their skills.
Mayor of London Ken Livingstone said: `The future success of London's manufacturers depends on increased investment in their businesses, staff and development of new products.
Firms that do not invest in their future will not survive against increasingly fierce competition from overseas.
The LDA is committed to working in partnership with businesses and public sector partners to help all London manufacturers achieve world-class performance.' To coincide with the launch of the action plan, the LDA is also launching a report showing that: * Manufacturing firms in London are 25% more productive than the national average and productivity has risen 120% in manufacturing in the last two decades.
* However, UK manufacturers still lag behind their counterparts in the US, Germany and France.
Raising UK manufacturing productivity to these levels would add £70billion to manufacturing output - almost double the value of the entire Welsh economy.
* Between 75,000 and 100,000 engineers across the UK will retire in the next decade or so and only half that number are predicted to be created, demonstrating the need for the sector to broaden its efforts to recruit talent into the industry.
In London, small manufacturers are struggling to attract and retain engineers who are often attracted to work in bigger projects offering larger salaries.
Alternatively engineering graduates are often attracted to careers such as accountancy and financial services.
* Manufacturing makes a vital contribution to London's economy, being worth £14bn and employing 270,000 people.
* Modern manufacturing in London is non-polluting, sustainable, light industry - such as printing, electronics, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, aerospace and food production.
George Kessler LDA Board and Chair of the London Production Industries Commission said: "Manufacturing is a hidden success in London".
"Similar numbers of people are employed in the sector as work in tourism whilst it also accounts for many of the jobs in creative industries in the capital".
"However, manufacturers have no choice but to invest in technology, better design and staff".
"Otherwise, they will not survive".
"Our plan aims to build on the strengths of manufacturing in London as there are excellent examples of highly-successful but largely unrecognized manufacturers who demonstrate how modern manufacturing is critical to their success".
"This work will bring great benefits to the firms themselves and London's economy, and help the industry harness untapped talent." Jacqui Smith, Industry Minister said: "I congratulate the London Development Agency and the work of its Production Industry Strategy Committee in developing this plan to support and develop manufacturing in London".
"Manufacturing as a whole is absolutely vital to the UK economic well being of the nation".
"The DTI 5 Year programme together with the Manufacturing Strategy identify the key success factors for development, to enable Government, Industry and Development Agencies to work together so that we can compete globally and meet the challenges that lie ahead." Amongst its wide-ranging support for London firms, the LDA has recently helped Brompton Bicycles to negotiate a better contract with their leaseholders on the costs of their Brentford premises.
This help has persuaded Brompton, who are one of only two major bicycle manufacturers in the UK, to remain in London and make a long term commitment to staying in the capital.
Brompton Bicycles have a factory and offices in West London.
All the frame parts for the bikes are made in the UK, and assembled in West London.
The company currently employs 45 people and continues to expand.
It currently sells 12,000 high-quality bicycles per year to 25 countries around the world.
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