UK manufacturers must take note of the focus on innovation following Sturgeon's announcement
Following the news that Nicola Sturgeon has committed to a centre of excellence for manufacturing in Scotland, manufacturers in the UK as a whole should take note of the focus on technology and innovation to increase growth and narrow the current skills gap.
Partho Bhattacharya, MD and President of Invenio, has commented on the importance of addressing new technologies to get ahead in manufacturing:
“With recent data from the Office for National Statistics having shown that UK industrial output suffered its sharpest monthly drop in three years, manufacturers need to constantly evolve operations to achieve growth. Nicola Sturgeon’s commitment to launching a manufacturing centre of excellence in Scotland is a great way to drive innovation and address the skills gap currently affecting the sector.
“In an increasingly volatile climate, manufacturing companies who do not utilise the advice and technology available to modernise operations will quickly fall behind. It is therefore reassuring to see that the Scottish Government is implementing a strategy for the manufacturing sector which focuses on working with companies to assess the benefits of new technologies, and encourage their take-up.
“Whilst this initiative is focussed on Scotland, manufacturers across the UK should always seek to achieve constant innovation, whether that’s driven internally or through partnering with third party experts. Whilst it’s not possible for centres of excellence to be launched everywhere in the UK, with the right knowledge and advice, expert partners can help manufacturers to utilise technology to drive efficiency and growth.”