Industrial Strength

Despite the stories about the decline in British manufacturing, the UK is still the ninth-largest manufacturer in the world and the sector is growing – one in six manufacturers have ‘re-shored’ activities to the UK, usually to improve quality or accelerate delivery times. The industry is now gearing up for the ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’, based on the ever-growing use of digital technology and taking advantage of technological developments such as cloud computing and the Internet of Things.

Sector at a glance

• 14% of business investment in the UK is made in its manufacturing sector
• £31,489 - The average annual wage in the UK’s manufacturing sector, 14% higher than the national average
• 45% of UK exports are from the manufacturing industry