News Extra - UK Industrial Strategy


UK electrical supply chain welcomes ambitious Industrial Strategy, says BEAMA


BEAMA, the trade association representing manufacturers of electrical products spearheading the drive to electrification, comments on the government’s recent announcement of its “Modern Industrial Strategy”.


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s the UK embarks on the historic task of electrifying its energy system,


this Strategy offers valuable support to manufacturers in critical industries to secure the economic and environmental benefits of this transition. BEAMA members from the electricity networks and electric heating sectors, vital players in decarbonising the UK’s power system by 2030 and retrofitting 29 million homes by 2050, have responded positively to the Government’s Clean Energy Sectoral plan. Specific measures in the Strategy of high


potential impact are: • Recognition of electricity networks as a foundational sector


• Commitment to developing an Industrial Growth Plan for electricity networks


• Options to boost local manufacturing • The objective for greater project pipeline certainty


• Recognition of the importance of flexibility and the digital economy


• Funding opportunities through new Government-backed institutions


• Cross-references to Net Zero measures in the other sectoral plans


UK commits to electrification of buildings and heat to bring down consumer bills BEAMA also welcomes progress in outlining the electrification of buildings, including heat. The


“Our hope is this can help bring forward investment in UK


manufacturing to supply the UK’s electrification needs across the


grid and in homes.” Yselkla Farmer


UK supply chain stands poised to invest, but urgently needs product demand visibility Through the ‘Market Pulse’, BEAMA’s landmark industry survey, manufacturers have consistently shown a strong desire to invest, which has up until now been held back by unfavourable conditions compared to other countries. With this strategy, the Government has begun


to address many of the most significant challenges, but more needs to be done to help improve demand for the electrical products needed for


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challenge for the Government going forward will be to ensure heat electrification is normalised across a broad range of solutions, offering customers choice and the significant energy bill benefits of using storage technologies. The next challenge will be to keep up the momentum, continue to engage with industry and commit to practical measures that will boost British manufacturing.


decarbonisation, and to drive investment into their build out. Yselkla Farmer, chief executive of BEAMA,


said: “We are especially pleased to see the level of financial support being targeted for BEAMA sectors through GB Energy, the National Wealth Fund and the British Business Bank. Our hope is this can help bring forward investment in UK manufacturing to supply the UK’s electrification needs across the grid and in homes. The decision to reduce electricity costs for the IS-8 manufacturing sectors is an incredibly welcome step as we strive to ensure we can compete for investment globally. “Our shared objective should be to deliver sustainable, long-term policies that lead to stable growth in local manufacturing, without disrupting what is also currently a very global and integrated supply chain.” Erika Wilson, managing director of Wilson


Power Solutions and BEAMA president, said: “The ten-year industrial plan…paves the way for a more stable and attractive investment environment. At Wilson Power Solutions, we are particularly encouraged by the emphasis on the transmission and distribution networks, the backbone of electrification…While we may not directly benefit from the proposed energy bill reductions, we commend the strategy’s focus on addressing the industry-wide skills gap, a persistent challenge for us in recent years. We strongly support efforts to attract global talent to the UK, facilitating knowledge transfer and workforce development. We urge the government to prioritise action on this front, as these skills are needed now.” Richard Earl, director of research and


development at eco-charging and BEAMA vice president, said: “The industrial strategy will allow BEAMA members to accelerate the electrification of the UK. A coordinated strategy, reform of the electricity sector resulting in reduced electricity costs and streamlined connections both aligned with significant R&D Investment and international alignment will allow our members to invest with certainty and deliver the products and services required to decarbonise the UK.”


August 2025 electrical wholesaler | 21


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