UK Manufacturing Investment Conference 2021

The future of UK manufacturing has been clouded with uncertainty following Brexit and the impacts of Covid-19. As the sector works to forge a path ahead with support from the government and private sectors, this panel discussion will examine the key obstacles to be overcome and the opportunities a post-Brexit UK could hold. We will discuss what sub-sectors have shown true resilience and which require robust strategy to persevere.

Moderator: Courtney Fingar, Editor-in-Chief, Investment Monitor

The first year of Brexit has left a lot of manufacturers playing catch up, trying to decode what the deal means for them, grappling with new paperwork and regulations and overcoming obstacles – some of them predictable and others unforeseen. What impact has the Brexit deal had within its first year on British manufacturers and what can be predicted about the road ahead?

Supply chains have seen a lot of disruption in 2021 and the looming ‘new normal’ is beginning to take shape across sectors and regions. The continuing reshoring trend, new trade deals outside of the EU and workforce pressures have all had a hand in transforming the way British manufacturers import and export goods. How will the UK pivot from being a gateway to the EU to ‘Global Britain’, and what does it mean for the country’s logistics landscape? What technologies are required to ensure the smooth flow of goods and maximise efficiencies?

Moderator: Ruth Strachan, Senior Reporter, Investment Monitor

Mike Maddock tells the tale of one of the UK’s biggest innovations, graphene. The story highlights the current obstacles British manufacturers face when trying to scale up innovation.

The UK manufacturing sector has largely evolved away from consumer products and has instead seen growth in ‘smart’ sectors including, automotive, defense, aerospace, renewable energy and life sciences. How will continued, sustainable growth for these sectors be supported? What can be done to address the UK’s long-standing problems in scaling up innovation? What skills will be needed to bolster these sectors and how can the UK government and private sectors work to ensure the British workforce is ready for the challenge?

Moderator: Ruth Strachan, Senior Reporter, Investment Monitor

The largest sub-sector in British manufacturing is food and drink with the industry accounting for almost £29bn (2.3%) to national GVA in 2018. In 2021, the sector has been subjected to the so-called sausage wars and other potential food regulatory changes at the hands of possible trade deals with non-EU partners. So what does the future of the sector look like, can more be done to protect producers and will other big conglomerates follow the lead of companies such as

Moderator: Dean Best, Managing Editor, Just Food

Car making has had a long history in the UK with automotive icons such as the mini and the Aston Martin originating from British car plants. With the dual impacts of Brexit and Covid-19 disrupting the UK’s automotive sector, could the sector’s shift to electric vehicles pave the way forward? Can the UK pivot from its traditional role as a logistics hub, importing and exporting

parts across Europe? Will the big automakers reinvest by bringing new car models to UK factories and what can be done to secure these future investments?

Moderator: David Leggett, Editor, Just Auto

Manufacturing tends to be a long-term investment, with a lot still uncertain about post-Brexit markets, how can international manufacturers be confident about setting up or expanding operations in the UK? Which early trade deals are setting a precedent for the future of the UK’s trading relationships? As it navigates its ‘new normal’, how competitive will the UK be as a manufacturing destination? Which sectors are set to rise and what initiatives are on offer? Which centers of excellence exist around the country, and what role will free ports have in driving investment into production hubs? This panel will discuss the practicalities of investing in British manufacturing and explore the current opportunities on offer.

Panel Framer: Prospects for UK Manufacturing FDI

Glenn Barklie, Principal Economist, Investment Monitor

Moderator: Jon Whiteaker, Senior Editor, Investment Monitor

Neil Anderson, Managing Director, Caterpillar Inc.