Sector Focus
Manufacturing
A champion for manufacturing
Former Birmingham City Council leader Mike Whitby has taken on a new high profile role to champion Midlands manufacturing - and help the UK attract two million more engineers in the next ten years. The Midlands peer, who ran Europe's biggest local authority for eight
years from 2004 to 2012, is the new non-executive chairman of Made in The Midlands, a key support group for the region's manufacturing base. Lord Whitby greeted his appointment by calling on the Government to
recognise the key importance of wealth creators and inventors by elevating their status and standing nationally.
‘We believe in the Midlands and we believe in our manufacturing capacity’
With 300 members ranging from Jaguar Land Rover to Aston Martin and scores of SMEs, Made in the Midlands aims to support the growth of manufacturers and foster key links with government. Lord Whitby said the lobby group would play a 'crucial role' in helping
the Government establish a new manufacturing blueprint for the nation and rebalance the economy. In a passionate speech the Midland peer said 'the world is our oyster'
post-Brexit, with unprecedented opportunities for global trade. Lord Whitby was unveiled as the new non-executive chairman of Made in
the Midlands at a launch event at the Hotel du Vin in Birmingham, when he told assembled guests that the UK was currently in a state of flux.
He said: “We are where we are but there is a whole world to trade with.
We believe in the Midlands and we believe in our manufacturing capacity and it is essential that the UK recognises our importance - we should be seen as a major component in complementing the UK's growth agenda. We are the only region in the UK that has a trade surplus with China. “As the new non-executive chairman of Made in the Midlands I hope that
our voice will be heard and influence the outcome of the business strategy that can rebalance the UK's business model. “We want the business strategy to recognise and accept the importance
of manufacturing to a balanced UK economy. The 23rd June has come and gone and now it is the global economy that is our oyster.” Lord Whitby said he would be using his key contacts with senior politicians including new Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Secretary Greg Clark and Liam Fox, Secretary of State for International Trade, to champion the region's manufacturers.
Help to find the right tools for the trade
A Burton-based industrial supplies firm is helping local colleges train the next generation of engineers. The firm has decided to extend a
trade-only discount scheme to the colleges, to help the engineering students buy the tools and safety wear that they will need before embarking on their courses. Garry Douglas, business
development manager at Jones and Clark said: “Students need safety wear and toolkits before they begin their learning. It’s great for them to be supported to get what they need and to make it easy for them to start to learn about what they will be using. “Although Jones and Clark is a
business-to-business company, we offer a discounted trade account
facility for colleges who are our business account customers. “This means that the colleges
and training Institutions can send students to us to get prepared. “It also means that students can
use our services and we can go out of our way to help them to get what they need for their studies. We aim to support the students to recognise the different quality of tooling and workwear so that they can learn to make informed choices.” John Patrick, enrolled student at
Helping hand: Garry Douglas (left) with John Patrick
the Swadlincote Campus of Burton and South Derbyshire College, said: “I came into Jones and Clark with my parents to get my boots and overalls for my electrical engineering course. I am happy I was able to get what I needed.” .”
Lord Whitby, chairman of Made in the Midlands
56 CHAMBERLINK October 2016
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