The roundtable event took place in St Austell and was organised jointly by the Cornwall Manufacturers Group (CMG) and EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation.
According to EEF, almost four in 10 manufacturers (36%) identify rising business costs as a key risk this year. At the same time, the proportion of companies viewing the UK as a competitive place to do business has fallen from 70% in 2015 to 56% this year.
EEF analysis shows that manufacturing output in Cornwall outperformed the UK and South West average over the period 1998 to 2014 and held up particularly well in the face of the recession.
The group identified three key priorities for Cornish manufacturers that it wants Cornwall Council to take forward. These are:- Better collaboration between training centres to reduce the impact of geographic distances in Cornwall and make courses more viable.
- A focus on promoting Cornwall as a good place to do business to help attract more manufacturers to the region and to help bring investment into the county.
- Tackling cross-boundary transport issues, improving road and public transport provision, particularly into and out of Devon.
