The Great South West Partnership has released its anticipated report on the region’s high value manufacturing sector, positioning the area as a key player in the UK’s renewed Industrial Strategy.
The report, developed in collaboration with the High Value Manufacturing Catapult – the UK’s research, development, and innovation agency for manufacturing – and over 60 organisations from across the region, highlights the South West’s potential to drive innovation, support clean energy, and contribute to national resilience, while creating high-value jobs across multiple key sectors.
High value manufacturing is a key pillar in the Great South West’s economic growth strategy. With £7.9 billion of Gross Value Added (GVA) generated annually by the sector, the South West is a growing powerhouse in manufacturing, contributing to national resilience, innovation, and economic security.
The report has identified the South West’s strengths across aerospace, marine, defence, clean energy, and food and drink, aligning closely with the Government’s focus on clean power, harnessing data, and building a resilient economy.
The Great South West’s strengths in these industries will be vital to the UK’s future economic resilience and security, with world-class assets in defence, energy, and food and drink providing significant growth opportunities.
Karl Tucker, Chair of the Great South West Partnership, said: “High value manufacturing is a cornerstone of our region’s economy, reflecting our world-class innovation and competitive edge in the global market. We have the talent, the infrastructure, and the ambition to support the UK’s Industrial Strategy, particularly in green energy and defence. Now we need the Government’s support to ensure that our industries continue to grow and thrive.”
Katherine Bennett CBE, CEO of High Value Manufacturing Catapult, said:
“This report highlights the transformative potential of advanced manufacturing in the Great South West. The insights it provides are critical to understanding how we can accelerate the commercialisation of innovations, strengthen the UK’s manufacturing base, and unlock opportunities for high-value jobs and prosperous communities. We look forward to working with partners across the region to bring these opportunities to life.”
Karen Friendship, Managing Director at Plymouth-based metal fabricator Alderman Tooling, said: “As well as Plymouth being one of the UK’s top cities for manufacturing and engineering in the South of England, the Great South West demonstrates a breadth of ability, ambition and supply chains supporting advanced manufacturing sectors that would be the envy of any other region. We need Government to recognise our talents, from the depths of Cornwall to the Somerset and Dorset borders, and invest in us to achieve the economic growth we all desire.”
Jon Hurrell, Managing Director at Sellectronics, an electronics manufacturer based in Falmouth, said: “This report highlights the huge impact of high value manufacturing in the Great South West. The sector provides high levels of economic benefit for the area through skilled jobs and the communities they support. The information this report provides is crucial to increasing the understanding of the Great South West at Government level. With Government’s backing, the Great South West can continue to accelerate growth in the high value manufacturing sector, whilst securing new opportunities for investment.”
Lizzie Jones, Operations Director at SC Group and Supacat, Devon-based manufacturer of high-mobility defence vehicles, said: “Supacat is a defence contractor and immensely proud that over 90% of our supply chain for defence vehicles is sourced from the South West. This review of the South West illustrates the crucial part we play in contributing to national defence, innovation, manufacturing and high-value jobs which make our communities and the Great South West region a success. We look forward to building on this success, with improved national infrastructure links and support to skills training in particular.”
Alun Reece, Managing Director at Loop Technology, a specialist industrial automation and robotics company in Dorset, said: “The region is often viewed simply as a tourist destination and our capabilities in advanced manufacturing are overlooked. The work the Great South West Partnership is doing to provide a cohesive regional voice is fundamental in informing Government of the untapped potential here. With joined-up thinking and proactive support, our world-leading businesses can lead the drive for growth, prosperity, sustainability and long-term security.”
Harry Singer, CEO at Singer Instruments, specialists in developing mechatronic workstations and laboratory automation robotics, said: “As a high-tech manufacturer of laboratory robotics for a global life-sciences market, we’ve been happily operating from Somerset since the 70s. What our geography adds to our employee value proposition has been one of our superpowers in terms of attracting talent and building culture. I like to think we’re a great showcase for innovative companies thriving in a geography that is commonly only thought of as a holiday destination.”
The report will now serve as a key document for collaboration between businesses, universities, and stakeholders to drive the sector forward. The Great South West Partnership will use the findings to engage with Government and investors to unlock new opportunities for the region’s manufacturing capabilities.
The report coincides with the launch of the Great South West Independent Economic Review (IER), which offers a blueprint for driving investment and growth across the South West. The IER, which will be published in full in October 2024, sets out the strategic importance of the region to the future success and security of the UK.
The IER presents a new collaborative model to the Government, underpinned by a policy roadmap which recognises the vital role of the South West in the UK economy and is driven by commitments from the Great South West Partnership, regional partners, Government and its constituent agencies.
The proposed roadmap aims to support the achievement of the Government’s missions for economic growth and clean energy, unlock vital national and
international investment at scale, secure UK leadership in key global markets, and accelerate the delivery of high-value, well-paid jobs accessible to all communities.
