Backing Britain is back in the Midlands on 30th January, in the name of championing the manufacturing sector and uniting the sector during uncertain political times. This month's event will take place at Boneham and Turner, a precision manufacturer of a wide variety of engineering products and Made in the Midlands member. We spoke to the three keynote speakers for the event to find out what guests can expect from their speeches and how their companies are Backing Britain.
The Made in Group have launched the year-long Backing Britain campaign to act as a beacon of unity and restore confidence in Britain. Alternating between the Midlands and Yorkshire over the next year, the event will visit different locations within the regions and will include presentations from industry leaders on how manufacturers across the nation can promote British industry to safeguard its future and create a lasting legacy. Speakers for the up and coming event include Charles Boneham, Managing Director of Boneham and Turner, James Perry, Site Director for Gardner Aerospace and James Underwood, Managing Director of MicroMesh engineering.
Boneham and Turner - Charles Boneham
Sutton-in-Ashfield based manufacturer Boneham and Turner has been established since 1918 and has since become a leading manufacturer and supplier of tooling components in the UK. The company supplies to a range of industries including aerospace, automotive, autosport, power generation, MOD and machine building.
Charles Boneham told the Made in Group what he thinks unity means and how we can create this within the manufacturing community:
“I think unity means everyone working together towards a common goal. Made in the Midlands has created a community of manufacturers at different tiers of the supply chain who we are all working towards the same thing.”
As a keynote speaker for the event we asked Charles why he thinks it's important to Back Britain and how other manufacturers can back Britain, he said:
“I think it is extremely important to Back Britain, especially in times of uncertainty. The Backing Britain event is particularly important as I think it will instil national pride, and when we have national pride we work together and create great things such as Formula 1.”
“Manufacturers as a collective can Back Britain by purchasing from UK based suppliers as much as possible and by employing local people. I would say Boneham and Turner Back Britain by being a major part of the tooling products that are supplied around the UK.”
Charles hopes to inspire fellow manufacturers and those in the sector by talking about the history of manufacturing in the UK and how we can look back at this history to get back on track moving forward, he said:
“I will also be talking about how companies can prosper in manufacturing through continuous investment.”
Gardner Aerospace - James Perry
Gardner Aerospace is a global manufacturer with a local capability, providing the aerospace industry with a flexible and resilient supply of high-quality detailed parts. The company’s expertise in global logistics shortens supply chains and maximises efficiencies and value to pass onto customers.
James Perry, Site Director for Gardner Aerospace, believes unity is about collaboration across the community, working together to fuel a thriving manufacturing sector. He said:
“It is important that we are unified and Back Britain because if we are not collectively confident about the future, then typical rhetoric will drive down confidence. It is also important to be positive and back what the manufacturing sector in Britain is doing.”
“Gardner Aerospace Backs Britain as we believe it is important to have a presence here in Britain. A lot of this has to do with customer intimacy, as we work with large UK OEM’s who see locality and service as part of our value proposition.”
James said his presentation will focus on access to skills and engineering and the importance of companies having a local presence in the UK. He said:
“The UK remains an excellent place to be for manufacturing and is still at the forefront of global innovation and engineering. I think this is at least partly due to our heritage in manufacturing, but we need to ensure we continue to invest in and preserve that heritage, otherwise, we will not retain the skill and expertise that differentiates us”
Micro-mesh - James Underwood
Micro-Mesh Engineering is a leading UK filter manufacturer that has been producing high-quality Hydraulic & Air filters for a wide range of industrial applications for over fifty years.
The Nottinghamshire based company are Backing Britain through a number of ways including working with Nottingham university on their supply chain management programme, which encourages local companies to bring the supply chain back to the local area. James said:
“We try to keep our suppliers within the local area for continuity, which is why we are working with Nottingham University to reshore business to the UK.”
“We have inherited a company where a lot was purchased overseas and we are trying to bring that back to the UK.”
James said companies can Back Britain by utilising the skills available in the UK. As a company with a mining background, they have begun selling mining products again and therefore are drawing on the expertise in the UK for exporting. He added:
“We need to recognise the skills that are available in Britain and utilise these skills. I think manufacturers can Back Britain by networking and being part of trade associations like Made in the Midlands that bring manufacturing companies together. It is important to have conversations and share experiences to look at where we can increase our business.”
“Though exporting is a big part of our business, it's still important that the supply chain is in the UK as much as possible. Investing in new equipment and RND is good for the local and wider economy.”