Celebrating British Manufacturing on Buy British Day
Did you know that there is a day dedicated to celebrating British businesses? Held every year on 3rd October, Buy British Day asks us all to support our local economy with the simple act of heading out and buying from a British business. Whether that’s going into a local shop, supporting a craft-maker or working with a UK manufacturer which in turn supports other British businesses.
As a company which is incredibly proud of our British manufacturing heritage, it’s an event we fully support.
British Manufacturing
Following a period of turbulence with our departure from the EU and a struggling economy, Buy British Day seems more important than ever. Local businesses need our support especially when you consider that British-bought products not only deliver value to our economy but also drive societal stability and innovation.
Manufacturing in the UK is not new, but did you realise the important role it plays in our economy? The manufacturing industry has been at the heart of our economy since the 1700s when mechanised machines for the production of textiles marked the start of the Industrial Revolution. It’s an industry which has remained strong in the UK with The Office for National Statistics recently reporting that the total value of UK manufacturers’ product sales in 2023 stood at £456.1 billion, an increase of 3.9% from the following year. It’s therefore not surprising at the Make UK National Manufacturing Conference earlier in the year, the Make UK CEO asked all political parties to commit to securing the future of UK manufacturing.
Investing in UK Manufacturing
Whittan’s manufacturing roots are buried deep within the UK. It all started over 70 years ago with our market-leading brand Link51 which started its first factory in the heart of England’s industrial ‘Black Country’. We are still manufacturing from the same factory today!
There are plenty of reasons why we have kept our manufacturing units here in the UK. We recognise the strength it brings to our economy and our place in supporting a wide range of jobs across the UK. It allows us an edge over our competitors which is why we are one of only a few storage equipment suppliers who manufacture all our racking and shelving products here in the UK.
It is for this reason we have been on a journey of transformation over the last 18 months. We have been investing heavily in our Milton Keynes factory to provide additional benefits for our products and our customers. We will soon launch the biggest project we’ve brought to the market in over 40 years with the introduction of a new range of solutions for Link51 which will help customers to go higher and heavier with their warehouse storage.
Made in Britain
As a UK manufacturer of storage systems, Whittan and our brands are playing a big part in supporting our local economy and keeping British manufacturing alive. That’s why we made our mark and became a member of Made in Britain.
The internationally recognised registered trademark promotes and acknowledges the very best of British manufacturing. To become a member, you must demonstrate your products represent quality, value, safety, and high standards. This reassures buyers that, whenever they see the Made in Britain mark, the manufacturer has met their high-quality criteria.
Benefits of Buying British?
Buying British is not just about helping out the UK economy. As the customer, it can provide you with at least four significant advantages:
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Products – UK businesses are best placed to know what UK customers need. Whittan has direct management over our manufacturing facilities which allows us to make investment decisions that matter to our customers. That means we can widen our product offering to provide customers with solutions that meet future market trends.
- Quality Control – UK products have to meet stringent requirements. For example, as a UK manufacturer, our products are designed in accordance with the latest ISO standards and our designs meet SEMA industry standards. Customers buying from Whittan will know they are getting high-quality racking and shelving designed to last.
- Travel distances - combine these improvements with shorter travel distances and it can make a real difference. When our customers buy some of our British-manufactured products we can reduce the travel miles, shorten lead times and reduce risks in the supply chain.
- Sustainability – a lot of UK businesses are aware of the requirement to adopt sustainable practices. At Whittan we take our commitment to sustainability seriously which is why we responsibly source our steel by using integrated mills that manufacture green steel and operate a zero-waste landfill policy. In our recently improved Milton Keynes factory, we have introduced nanotechnology to reduce water temperatures and gas emissions during the paint line process while automated robotic welders optimise welding efficiency and reduce scrap material wastage. To prove our credentials, for the second year running, we have been awarded an Eco Vadis Gold rating for our commitment to sustainability.
If you’re looking for racking and shelving that will make a difference to your business, why not get in touch? Whatever your storage needs we can supply it all, from racking and shelving to mezzanine floors and lockers through to warehouse automation, we have the complete solution. Combine our product range with the experience behind our trusted brands and we will deliver a fully scalable, modular storage system that optimises your space with increased efficiencies. We’re so confident of meeting your requirements, that we offer our site survey and space planning service free of charge with no obligation to continue.
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