Can we bring manufacturing back to Britain?

Servicing the ever demanding wishes of the end-customer, who expects the highest quality, individual design, 24 hour delivery, and flexibility in the purchase, return/exchange facility, is paramount. In fact, the value of shorter supply chains is fast becoming a retail business necessity.

This, along with the ever increasing labour costs within the emerging nations, together with fluctuating transport costs, are some of the reasons why the tide is increasingly turning in favour of “bringing manufacturing back to Britain”.

Just earlier this year, the manufacturers’ association EEF, reported that one in six companies have “re-shored” production in the past three years, up from one in seven, when a similar study was carried out in 2009.

The need to be closer to customers and to have increasingly greater control of quality, makes it a sound business case for “bringing manufacturing back to Britain”. The quality and expertise during the manufacturing process is the key to future successes, especially where the reputation of a company is backed by the following of a loyal and highly demanding customer base.

Companies wanting to capitalise on Britain’s reputation for excellence, together with speed of response driven by this digital age, will indeed be lured back to re-shore activities in Britain.