UK manufacturing sector is thriving in Q2

EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, has been covering the manufacturing sector’s continuously strong performance in the second quarter of this year, and found that business has proven itself to be buoyant despite pervasive Brexit fears. Graeme Wright, CTO for Manufacturing, Utilities, and Services at Fujitsu UK & Ireland, says that in these times of growth, manufacturers must prepare for the impact of digital disruption by investing in their workforce today.

“The manufacturing sector’s surge in performance is excellent news in the short term,” he said, “but businesses must also keep an eye to the future, and specifically the rise of digital. We are seeing digital disruption hit all sectors, and manufacturing and engineering are not exempt. A recent Fujitsu survey found that 90 percent of manufacturers believe the sector will transform fundamentally by 2021. It is therefore vital that during this period of growth, UK businesses take steps to invest in the digital infrastructure and workforce that will secure underlying productivity increases that will deliver their success for years to come.

“While an increase in technology-enabled automation is one half of the equation, organisations must also look to hire people with the skills and talent that match the requirements of the new digital era. This means not only hiring candidates with digital proficiencies, but investing in upskilling the current workforce. Manufacturers that adopt a smart workforce strategy now will be able to make use of new technologies the soonest. Ultimately those that are agile and embrace the latest technology will reap the rewards in the future.”