Bristol to lead boom in high-tech manufacturing says HSBC report

The West Country capital's boom will be driven by an abundance of high tech skills and local research centres, the HSBC report claimed. Other UK cities will also experience a return to manufacturing roots, the report based on the insights of business entrepreneurs predicted. British firms will steal a march in high tech fields such as digital communications and low carbon, respondents claimed. The report said: "The revival we foresee in British manufacturing in an era of higher energy costs will harness new processes and technologies – including manufacturing on demand, 3D printing and rapid prototyping." "Over the next 20 years, Bristol will emerge as a leading centre of research and production," the report added. Over 40% of respondents said they expected Bristol's importance to increase in the future. Bristol is already home to manufacturing sites for both Airbus and GKN. The arrival of a new National Composites Centre will provide prototyping and validation facilities to turn research into commercial success, the report said. The city is also pioneering 3D manufacturing techniques, the report added. However, relatively high Labour costs mean automation will be key to growth, the report concluded. The Future of Business Report quizzed nine industry experts and 500 entrepreneurs on future business trends. Click the link below to read it in full.