AppealPR Blog » Manufacturing

Leeds Manufacturing video amplifies national debate

Sarah Hone — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:52:30 +0000

The Business of Manufacturing, a Question Time style debate on the future of UK manufacturing, chaired by Peter Marsh of the Financial Times, attracted lots of media attention last week. With some high-profile business leaders on the panel, including Juergen Maier of Siemens and James Averdieck, founder of Gu Chocolate Puds, the event created plenty of incisive comment on the prospects for growth in manufacturing and engineering rebalancing the national economy.

Working with the debate’s organisers, Marketing Leeds and Leeds Manufacturing, Appeal helped broaden media interest in the story by creating a video that provided an informative summary of the event, featuring interviews with the speakers. The video was used on TheBusinessDesk.com, to generate greater depth and interest to the Business Desk’s report on event.

“Bang the drum” for Britain’s manufacturers

Duncan Greenwood — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:56:08 +0000

Award-winning business journalist Greg Wright’s rallying call to “bang the drum” for Britain’s manufacturers rightly recognises them as the real builders of our country’s global reputation, rarely seeking the limelight. Unlike many of the financial service providers responsible for our present sad state of affairs.

And many of our world class manufacturers share his view that theirs will be the light leading us to the end of the tunnel. A new UK-wide survey covering Aerospace & Defence, Food manufacturing and Distribution, Automotive, Engineering and Technology cites over 37% of respondents feeling positive and confident about the next six months.

Chamber International is also in tune with the positive mood and at the heart of the UK’s biggest export drive in 30 years. International manager Tim Bailey says: “Despite the gloom, there are massive opportunities out there. We’ve assembled a sophisticated tool-box to help Yorkshire businesses crack overseas markets and Yorkshire Forward has helped 1,200 firms with £7million worth of export support.”

Let’s hear it for manufacturing…

Duncan Greenwood — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:37:06 +0000

Our way out of the recession or the timing of it remain far from clear, doomsayers predicting a long, hard haul with continued problems for manufacturers in particular and brighter prospects for service industries. And while Leeds has a well-earned reputation for professional services, the city’s vibrant and resilient manufacturing sector is often overlooked. (Client disclosure: Appeal works for Leeds Manufacturing Initiative).

Leeds manufacturers have in fact risen to the challenges of globalisation with a winning combination of enterprise and innovation enabling them to build market leadership and new business against fierce overseas competition.

Leeds is the UK’s third largest manufacturing centre with over 1900 firms employing some 39,000 people. Manufacturing accounts for 8% of total employment in the city and punches above its weight by generating 11% of the total £15 billion output.

Specialised engineering remains the largest sub-sector with around 13,600 employees, printing and publishing, medical technology and food and drink production are also major employers. But Leeds manufacturers turn out a wide range of products used across the world, from artificial heart valves, to precision motor components and jet turbine blades.

So let’s hear it a bit more for the manufacturers, they will be a vital part of our recovery from this recession.