Restoration of manufacturing GDP ‘easy’
1 min read
A lively annual manufacturing debate at one of the UK's leading engineering universities yesterday (25 May) heard that the restoration of manufacturing as a major contributor to a rebalanced economy was primarily a matter of will.
Cranfield University's National Manufacturing Debate 2011 – which was staged in association with Works Management – heard from a number of the sector's most powerful players including Airbus vice president Dr Gareth Williams and Rolls-Royce engineering chief Andreas Pelz. In a frank and open debate they were joined by industry experts including Cambridge Institute of Manufacturing luminary Sir Mike Gregory and ERA Foundation chairman Sir Alan Rudge (pictured) who, earlier in the day had mounted a staunch defence of manufacturing's importance to the UK economy on BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
In the Cranfield debate Sir Alan picked up his theme in response to a question from one of the 200 delegates. Asked whether or not manufacturing was capable of rebalancing the UK economy, he said it would be easy to make the 10 or 20 per cent gains necessary and that it was mainly a question of having the will to do so.
Forthright, passionate and positive exchanges over two hours saw delegates and panel discuss the vexed questions of manufacturers' relationships with the banking sector, relationships with the European Community, the support role of universities, the green agenda, and the availability of appropriate skills to match the industry's expansionist ambitions.
