Date: Wed 20th January, 2010
Venue: Advanced Manufacturing Park, Brunel Way, Rotherham, S60 5WG
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Insider’s panel at today’s Yorkshire Manufacturing Breakfast - Making the Most of a Global Market, said both government and management are responsible for improving the productivity in Yorkshire.
Chris Scholey, AMP ambassador for Yorkshire Forward, said skills were an issue. “Educationally, we’re slipping back, particularly in this region. There are 20,000 adults in South Yorkshire with a reading age of less than 11.”
Master Cutler James Newman added that low productivity was also a historical issue, and said the government needed to be clear. “If the government does decide we’re going to get out of our economic mess through manufacturing, they have to say clearly what they want to do with manufacturing and offer not just words but money too.”
But Peter Birtles, group director of Sheffield Forgemasters, warned: “It’s no good just looking for reasons to blame government. There are certain things they can do better, but it can be an excuse for not doing anything.”
Andy Cantrill, senior manager, trade and supply chain for HSBC, said manufacturers need to convert ‘survival’ export strategies into long-term export strategies
Cantrill said manufacturers benefiting from the currency devaluation by up to 25 per cent have kept the extra margin it has afforded them rather than winning market share by reducing prices. “This was a sensible strategy given everything that’s going on in the marketplace, but strategically, businesses ought to be thinking about changing it. Businesses need a very clear long-term strategy of how they move from survival to being able to take advantage of the growth there’s going to be this year.”
He said while credit insurance issues have made it more difficult for businesses to secure funding, banks were willing to lend to help businesses export. He said HSBC’s export and trade funding was 30 per cent up on this time last year.