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All the Key Facts You Need to Know about UK鈥檚 Manufacturing Sector

UK-Auto-Manufacturing

The UK holds the reputation as one of a leading manufacturing nations in the world, with a worldwide acknowledgment in its engineering, automotive, aerospace and pharmaceutical industries. Today鈥檚 UK manufacturing sector employs over 2.6 million people, and contributes more than 拢150 billion to the UK鈥檚 economy each year, representing nearly 11% of nation鈥檚 economic output. UK is currently the 11th largest manufacturing nation in the world, the sector is also responsible for over 72% of UK R&D investment and accounts for over 44% of nation鈥檚 exports. Due to growing competition, businesses are using networking websites like 色花堂鈥檚 manufacturing industry portal to find quality business partners. So whether you are looking for importers, exporters or manufacturers there is a place for you to start on 色花堂.

UK manufacturing output
UK manufacturing output declined since 2013

According to the report from the Manufacturer, although the industry declined since the 1970s when manufacturing shared 25% of UK GDP, the UK still ranks in the second place globally for manufacturing aerospace products. In 2014, the UK-based automotive industry had its best year in car sales in nearly a decade 鈥 selling 1.28 million cars during the period, an increase of 10% compared to the same period in 2013. While the chemical and pharmaceutical sectors contribute 拢20m per day to the UK balance of trade. The overall UK manufacturing industry has had an average productivity increase of 3.6% per year over the last few years 鈥 two and a half times bigger than the UK economy as a whole.

Overview of UK manufacturing, according to EEF:

UK鈥檚 total manufacturing output reached $219 billion in 2013

2.6 million people are employed in UK manufacturing sector

Contributes 10% of country鈥檚 Gross Value Added

Represents 44% of UK鈥檚 total exports

Responsible for 69% of business research and development

Share of 15% of country鈥檚 total business investment

Figures and facts by sector:

UK Aerospace Industry

111,000+ direct jobs and 120,000 indirect jobs

拢29bn annual revenue

17% global market share

90% of revenue from export markets

UK Aerospace industry is growing ten times faster than any other industries in UK

Currently have stock of over 11,000 aircraft and 20,000 engines, worth more than 拢150bn

UK Automotive Industry

161,000+ direct jobs and 78,000 employed in the country鈥檚 auto supply chain

2,000+ automotive industry suppliers and British car manufacturers in the UK 鈥 including 16 of world鈥檚 top 20

拢64.1bn annual revenue

80% of a vehicle is made in the UK

5 million cars and 2.4 million engines built in 2014

Contributes over 拢12.4 bn to the UK economy every year

拢34bn of exports per year 鈥 accounting for 11% of the UK鈥檚 total export goods

UK Pharmaceutical Industry

Over 53,000 people directly employed

23,000 jobs in related research and development

One of the largest manufacturing export sectors worth 拢20.7bn export value

UK Construction Industry

1m direct jobs and annually provides up to 80,000 new jobs

Annually adds 拢92bn+ to the UK economy, accounting for 6.4% of nation鈥檚 total economic output

Almost 50% of employers in the building services and engineering industry take part in the apprenticeship scheme

UK Defence Industry

46,000 direct employees, and almost the same number in indirect jobs

Employs over 4,900 apprentices and trainees

拢22bn annual revenue

The UK is the world鈥檚 second largest defence exporter behind the US

Over 34% export growth between 2009 鈥 2013

9,000+ defence companies including SMEs operating in the UK

BAE Systems 鈥 the UK鈥檚 biggest defence company 鈥 currently employs 40,000 people in UK

UK Electronic Industry

800,000+ direct jobs

拢78bn annual revenue

95% of the sectors 6,000 businesses are small and medium sized

UK Electronics industry is the world鈥檚 fifth largest in terms of production

14 of the world鈥檚 biggest 20 semiconductor companies have their design or manufacturing sites in the UK

In semiconductors, 80% of the production comes from foreign direct investment

UK Energy Industry

Over 680,000 direct jobs

Annually contributes 拢5,7bn to the UK economy

拢13.1bn investment in infrastructure in 2013

Renewable energy, including wind; wave; marine; hydro; biomass, and solar, accounts for over 7% of the UK鈥檚 electricity, expected to increase to around 20-25% by 2020

UK Food & Drink Industry

400,000+ direct jobs 鈥 predicted to need almost 110,000 new employees by 2022

Annually adds 拢21.5bn to the UK economy

Food manufacturing in UK聽epresents 16% of nationa’s total manufacturing revenue 鈥 making it the largest sector

96% of the sector鈥檚 6,360 food manufacturing companies聽are small and medium-sized

Exports 拢12.8bn+ products a year 鈥 77% of which go to the EU

Invested 拢1bn+ into R&D in 2011, resulting in over 8,500 new products

UK聽Furniture Industry

115,000+ direct jobs and 190,000+ indirect jobs

Annually adds over 拢9.4bn to the UK economy

84% of the 8,360 companies鈥 turnover less than 拢1m a year, 59% less than 拢250,000

UK Plastics Industry

180,000+ direct jobs

拢19bn annual turnover

7,500 companies in the sector

35% of manufactured plastics products are exported 鈥 worth over 拢6.7bn

5m tonnes of plastics raw materials produced every year

UK Steel Industry

30,000 direct jobs

54% of UK Steel employees work in Yorkshire and the Humber, or Wales

Annually adds 拢9.5bn to the country鈥檚 economy

Exports valued 拢4.9bn in 2013

Over 1m tonnes of output in 2014

The value of the industry has declined by nearly 24% since 1990

More wasted steel is recovered in the UK and recycled than all other materials combined

Every tonne of scrap recycled by the industry saves 1.9 tonnes of iron ore and 0.6 tonnes of coal

UK Textile Industry

340,000+ direct employments across 79,000+ companies

Contributes over 拢11.5bn to the UK economy every year

Gross value added (GVA) per head recorded at an average of 拢34,220

Third-largest fashion industry in the EU 鈥 after Italy and Germany

British consumers spend almost 拢55bn on the high street fashion every year

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