Feature
Made In The Midlands
A bridge to the future
By Helen McNally (pictured), key accounts executive, WM Shipping Ltd
When I think of ‘Made in the Midlands’, the first image that springs to mind is the remarkable Ironbridge – the world’s first cast-iron bridge – the Black Country and the birth of the industrial revolution. The Midlands was a veritable powerhouse of industry during the late 18th and early 19th Century. After researching my family tree earlier this year I can see the migration of my ancestors around this time from their original home in Somerset to Birmingham – probably to seek new opportunities as increasing numbers of people gained employment in the secondary sector rather than working the land or mining coal. Of course, in subsequent years the economic landscape of the Midlands has changed drastically. It can be argued today that our manufacturing base has suffered a massive decline as we have shifted towards importing the vast majority of our goods rather than buying British. Inexpensive overseas labour and materials, coupled with technological advances in travel
and transport has made it a more obvious choice in supplying the demand of the British public. However, what we have lost in quantity we have
made up for in quality. The Midlands still produces highly sought after, technologically advanced products that are in demand in the UK and throughout the international community. With machinery and vehicles making up 14.7 per cent and 12.6 per cent of our global exports respectively, we can be proud that world renowned companies such as JCB and Jaguar Land Rover have manufacturing facilities based in the Midlands. Another notable example of Midlands-made
products are the various beers and ales produced in Burton-upon-Trent. The various brewers of Burton currently make around a quarter of UK made beer as well as exporting beer throughout the world – partly due to mineral-rich local water, which helps to preserve the beer for longer.
‘The Midlands still produces highly sought after, technologically advanced products that are in demand in the UK and throughout the international community’
50 CHAMBERLINK July/August 2017
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