A couple of weeks on from the announcement of the UK Industrial Strategy, an event was held at Aston University in Birmingham to discuss and analyse how the strategy will be delivered.
This event was organised by the UK Manufacturing Forum. (UKMF) A collaboration between the High Value Manufacturing Catapult and the Institute for Manufacturing. A number of manufacturers, vendor companies, and other organisations within the Catapult ecosystem came together to discuss manufacturing’s importance to the UK.
It is an industry that is more vital than ever for ensuring the country’s long-term international competitiveness. And with this in mind, delegates explored how the Industrial Strategy can ensure that UK manufacturing is a key growth sector at the heart of our future economy.
Through insightful presentations and workshop sessions, the focus was on the role of the Industrial Strategy and Advanced Manufacturing Plan in boosting net zero ambitions and ensuring sustainable growth by harnessing the UK’s industrial assets.
Together with influential figures from the UK’s and international manufacturing research and innovation ecosystem, the goal was to:
- Deepen the shared understanding of the UK Industrial Strategy and the pivotal role of advanced manufacturing within it.
- Examine the strategy’s implications and discuss implementation plans.
- Define the ways in which the manufacturing community can act as a key delivery partner and growth driver, facilitating the exploration, co-creation, and prioritisation of underpinning activities.
- Catalyse future partnerships that support the development and delivery of the UK Industrial Strategy.
Sessions included presentations, panel discussions and workshops, with plenty of opportunities for open dialogue and networking.
The morning and afternoon sessions were made of the keynotes and panel discussions. They featured contributions from the likes of Kristin Baker, Vice President Industrial & Process Automation at Schneider Electric UK&I, Katherine Bennett CBE, Chief Executive Officer at High Value Manufacturing Catapult, Stephen Phipson CBE Chief Executive at Make UK, Tim Minshall, Dr John C Taylor Professor of Innovation and Head of the Institute for Manufacturing at the University of Cambridge, and Brian Holliday, Managing Director of Siemens Digital Industries and co-chair of the Made Smart Commission.