July/August 2020

COMMENT n GOING GREEN: THE WAY TO REVITALISE UK MANUFACTURING? There is no shortage of ideas on how British manufacturing needs to be reshaped if it is to thrive in the post-pandemic era. It is generally agreed that supply lines will need to be overhauled to reduce our dependence on faraway nations with volatile political climates. This will inevitably require reshoring much of the manufacturing that has been outsourced to other countries in recent decades, and will strengthen the case for manufacturing being reinstated as a cornerstone of the economy. It is also generally agreed that UK manufacturers will need to make greater use of automation and robotics in future, both to enforce social distancing (for as long as it may be needed) and to help protect against possible future lockdowns disrupting production. But, of course, this depends on manufacturers having the resources and the willingness to commit to substantial capital expenditure programmes – something that many have been reluctant to do in the past, leaving the UK lagging behind most of its competitors in adopting these technologies. Substantial questions are being asked about the manufacturing strategies that Britain needs to adopt in the future. One recent contribution to this debate is a report from the Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA) that examines decarbonisation as a strategy to drive the growth of UK manufacturing. If predicts that if the UK transitions to“green”manufacturing, it could add £8–20bn to GDP and create up to 1 million jobs. Breaking this down, it estimates that going green could create 37,000–90,000 jobs directly in UK manufacturing, a further 34,000-83,000 in the supply chain, and between 400,000 and 1,000,000 across the economy as a whole. The 52-page report* suggests that the UK is well placed to lead the way towards greener manufacturing – providing that we act now. It points out that since the early 1990s, the country has cut its carbon emissions by 44%, and was the first nation to commit to net-zero emissions. The MTA argues that green growth is an important economic driver – expanding around four times faster than the economy as a whole. Decarbonising soon would give companies the best chance of staying ahead and diversifying into future products and markets. The move to a more sustainable economy will require processes and products all along the supply chain to be decarbonised, as well as cutting the carbon that products consume in use. “Going green is not an option, it’s a necessity,”argues the MTA’s CEO, James Selka. “The UK has a worldwide reputation for innovation within manufacturing and engineering. This report highlights the need to invest to make to the essential transition to a decarbonised economy. “By embracing green technology,”he adds,“we can transform our economy as a whole and work towards sustainable growth, creating new, higher-paid jobs and protect the environment in the process. With strong national guidance and the right structure put in place by the UK Government, and fully integrated into an Industrial Strategy, we are well placed to become world leaders in green manufacturing.” Going green on a large scale will not be cheap. The Commission on Climate Change, which underpinned the UK’s net-zero target, has estimated that it will be necessary to increase investment in green technologies by 1–2% of GDP per year up to 2050. But such investments will be justified if they become the springboard for a new era of manufacturing in the UK.“The possibilities for growth are substantial,”says Selka. “UK manufacturers are ready for this challenge.” Tony Sacks, Editor * The report, Decarbonisation: Future Growth for Manufacturing , can be downloaded from https://drivesncontrols.news/5cq5p