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Its easy to be cynical about the state of UK
Page 63
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manufacturing: pessimists argue that it's merely a shadow of its past glories. They're right. But this argument is based on the fact that Britain used to be a superpower. This country is no longer top of the tree, but it still has the ability to make things. Food and drink, jewellery, engineering equipment, cars and pharmaceuticals: just six sectors in which Britain does well. And they all rely on factories.
Dyson, the vacuum cleaner firm, and Doctor Martens, the famous shoe company, both recently transferred their production abroad. Even when this happens, UK factory relocators benefit. Entire production lines are stripped out and exported.
But AIMS Paul Rooksby stresses that moving to distant shores is not always a bed of roses for manufacturers. Foreign labour can be incredibly cheap, but electricity prices can be high, and power supplies are often unreliable.
Factors like these, and the abundance of skilled labour in Britain mean that factories are set to remain a major component of the UK economy for the foreseeable future.
Gay Sutton, editor of The Manufacturer, says: "The British tend tc put themselves down, but there are sections of British manufacturinc that are doing exceedingly well -for example Formula One and aerospace engineering, and food and drink. There are some very lively manufacturing areas in the UK, and there is a strong manufacturing base."