What Lockdown 2.0 Means for Manufacturers in the UK

By Made In Group
schedule2nd Nov 20

A second national lockdown will take place in the UK from 5th November, due to the increasing threats of COVID-19. However, the lockdown which is supposed to last until 2nd December is different this time, as industry can keep its cogs turning. 

With new government restrictions surrounding COVID-19 being issued every day, it may be hard for businesses to keep up. The latest announcement stated that the UK will endure another lockdown from 5th November until 2nd December at least. However, what does this mean for manufacturing? Will the restrictions for opening up shop be the same as last time?

In March 2020, the UK and the rest of the globe experienced the start of a pandemic that has gone on to affect society as a whole. The engineering and manufacturing sector had closed down for at least 3 weeks, which had a massive impact on both the sector and economy. 

Resilient as ever, the sector continued to push through the challenging times as some opened up to support the central effort to build ventilators for COVID patients. The Made in Group recognised these “Manufacturing Heroes” by putting a 100 pg Backing Britain book together about their brave work, a time in history we will never forget. 

Lockdown 2.0 guidelines ensure that the manufacturing sector can keep the wheels of industry turning. The new measures, to take effect as of 5th November, state that all non-essential retail shops will close along with leisure activities and entertainment venues. Retail shops that can remain open must supply essentials such as food and medicine. 

The latest measures also mention that people who can not work from home, such as those working in manufacturing or construction, do have permission to travel to work as “this is essential to keeping the country operating and supporting vital sectors and employers”

As pointed out by the government, manufacturing's role in the industry and the economy is vital for the country to stay operating and efficient in challenging times. The Made in Group believes this can be achieved through staying calm, communicating appropriately and innovating when and where possible. This is backed up by a number of members who are leading during the crisis, which you can read here for their top tips. 

As we draw closer to the end of the year and the possible effects of Brexit on 31st December 2020, manufacturers are preparing for challenges ahead. This includes unemployment in the sector. The Made in Group is supporting this with the launch of Made Futures to help inspire young people to get jobs in manufacturing and generate jobs in the industry. 

Tell us how you are coping with government restrictions and what you are doing to grow your business during challenging times by emailing [email protected] 


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