EEF launches anti-recession campaign

Over the next three months the campaign, ‘Manufacturing. Your Future’, will introduce manufacturers to resources, advice, information and events that address three key areas: Redundancy and its alternatives: How, by changing working hours and practices, companies can avoid the need for redundancy. And how, when laying off staff is inevitable, they can do so in ways that protect their skills base and their ability to bounce back when economic recovery comes. Energy efficiency: How manufacturers can reduce energy consumption and negotiate better energy tariffs from energy suppliers, as well as reducing their carbon footprint. Competitive performance: How organisations can maintain their competitive edge by reducing costs, while continuing to pursue innovation, diversification and sustainable business practices. EEF chief executive Gilbert Toppin (pictured) said: “Manufacturing output is forecast to fall by 8.6% this year, but despite this gloomy outlook, we believe Britain’s manufacturers toughened by adversity will rise to the challenge, finding new ways to diversify, innovate and add value. British manufacturing will ride out this recession, as it has others. And we’ll be there to help.” The first phase of the campaign features: ‘Beat the recession’ and ‘Managing redundancy’ seminars at EEF locations nationwide; an on-line redundancy toolkit that provides advice and implementation guidance for redundancy programmes; and guidance sheets with advice to help manufacturers hold on to their skills base. For more information about the campaign, go to www.manufacturingyourfuture.co.uk. The campaign is also supported by ‘Reality Check’, (www.eef.org.uk/realitycheck) an online source of economic data, insight and assistance, updated daily by EEF’s team of economists, analysts and business specialists. “It gives manufacturers the up to the minute unvarnished truth about how the recession is taking shape, what government is doing about it and the resources available – from us and other commercial and government organisations – to help them overcome it,” Toppin added