The World of Manufacturing: Why Making Things Still Shapes Britain’s Future

The May evening lecture hosted by the IET Central London Network was more than a technical discussion. Held in the Kelvin Lecture Theatre, the event brought together industry leaders, engineers, and innovators to reflect on the state of UK manufacturing and its role in shaping the country’s future.

The theme of the evening centred on celebrating British ingenuity, resilience, and ambition. Opening the panel, host Halil Bedevi delivered a clear message: manufacturing is not a legacy industry fading into history. It is a living, evolving force that continues to underpin economic strength, technological progress, and national resilience.

Manufacturing’s real economic weight

Halil began by grounding the discussion in evidence. The UK currently ranks 12th globally for manufacturing output and second in aerospace and defence exports. Far from being marginal, manufacturing contributes £224 billion annually to the economy and directly employs around 2.6 million people.

These figures matter because they challenge outdated perceptions. Manufacturing today is not limited to heavy industry or mass production. It spans advanced materials, pharmaceuticals, food and drink, precision engineering, and complex supply chains that connect research to real-world products.

Operating at this scale requires discipline, accountability, and risk awareness. In modern engineering environments, those principles are reinforced through structured foundations such as health and safety training for engineers, which support consistent decision-making across complex operations.

Supply chains, sovereignty, and global competition

A recurring theme throughout the evening was supply chain resilience. With around 56% of UK businesses dependent on Chinese supply chains, panellists explored how geopolitical uncertainty and recent global disruptions have exposed vulnerabilities.

India, Latin America, and Southeast Asia were highlighted as emerging manufacturing hubs. At the same time, strategies such as reshoring and friend-shoring are gaining momentum as businesses seek greater control, reliability, and transparency.

The discussion made clear that competitiveness today is not just about cost. It is about adaptability, risk management, and long-term strategic planning. These same principles underpin structured approaches to risk assessment fundamentals, ensuring resilience is built into systems rather than retrofitted after failure.

Technology, automation, and people

Technological innovation sat at the heart of the panel discussion. Brian Holliday of Siemens highlighted how automation and artificial intelligence are transforming manufacturing productivity and quality.

Importantly, he challenged the assumption that automation diminishes employment. Industrial jobs in manufacturing pay around 10% above the national average, reflecting the value of skilled labour operating advanced systems.

However, Holliday also addressed a persistent issue: diversity. Engineering remains around 87% male, a gap that limits innovation and capacity. Unlocking manufacturing’s full potential requires broadening participation and investing in skills development across the workforce.

Clear communication and inclusive engagement are essential in achieving this shift. In engineering environments, structured approaches to effective communication in construction and engineering help align teams, reduce friction, and support cultural change.

Space manufacturing and high-value innovation

The UK’s space sector emerged as a standout example of high-value manufacturing. Roy Haworth of Airbus outlined the country’s leadership in satellite design and production, including software-defined satellites and contributions to future Mars rover missions.

With more than 1,700 space organisations employing around 52,000 people, the sector contributes £7.2 billion in gross value annually. These achievements demonstrate how advanced manufacturing thrives at the intersection of research, systems engineering, and long-term investment.

Such success depends on trust, standards, and shared learning. Across professional environments, credibility is reinforced through transparency and outcomes, reflected in mechanisms such as a training provider reviews page that prioritises experience over aspiration.

Start-ups, speed, and adaptability

Start-ups also played a central role in the discussion. Marco Gomez-Jenkins of SuperSharp Space Systems shared how his Cambridge-based company is redefining thermal imaging through unfolding space telescopes.

His story highlighted the importance of university-industry collaboration and government support in scaling high-value manufacturing. Innovation rarely happens in isolation. It flourishes where research, policy, and industry intersect.

Adaptability was reinforced by Sam Guest of ProtoLabs, who described how rapid prototyping and agile manufacturing help organisations respond to tariffs, pandemics, and supply chain shocks. Dave Swan of Tharsus echoed this theme, showcasing projects ranging from Ocado robots to modular housing systems, all built on solving real-world problems with speed and precision.

Perspective from experience

The evening concluded with reflections from Lord Karan Bilimoria, Chair of the Manufacturing Commission and founder of Cobra Beer. He offered a long-term perspective on the sector’s evolution, noting manufacturing’s decline from around 30% of UK GDP in the 1970s to under 10% today.

Drawing on his own entrepreneurial journey, Lord Bilimoria described identifying a simple problem, overly fizzy lagers that paired poorly with spicy food, and turning that insight into a successful product. Over 35 years, Cobra Beer grew into a household name, winning 151 gold medals.

After exiting Cobra in 2023, he launched two new ventures, General Bilimoria’s Canteen and Pylex, demonstrating that innovation often comes from improving what already exists.

He also emphasised collaboration between manufacturing, universities, and government, citing examples such as hydrogen train research at the University of Birmingham and the Oxford-AstraZeneca-Serum Institute partnership that delivered two billion COVID-19 vaccine doses.

Manufacturing as national resilience

In closing, the panel returned to a central message: manufacturing remains a pillar of national resilience.

In a world shaped by geopolitical tension, climate change, and technological disruption, the ability to design, make, and adapt is more important than ever. This reality reinforces broader discussions around why engineering and trade careers remain a strong long-term choice. As Halil Bedevi concluded, manufacturing is for everyone. It is how the future is built, here and now.