What is the value of buying British? Most of us probably don’t ever consider where our products come from or even where they are made. Yet UK manufacturing and British-bought products deliver real value to our country. Not only does it boost our economy, but it also creates societal stability and has the ability to drive innovation.
The UK’s decision to leave the EU created an unstable market for a lot of businesses and made it more difficult to transport goods across EU borders particularly for manufacturers. That’s why, at the recent Make UK National Manufacturing Conference, Stephen Phipson, CEO at Make UK asked all political parties to commit to securing the future of UK manufacturing.
UK Manufacturing
Manufacturing in the UK is not new. The industry as we know it began in the late 1700s when mechanised machines for the production of textiles marked the start of the Industrial Revolution. The following years saw the start of manufacturing on a large scale with the implementation of iron production processes, steam power and the development of steam tools. These technological developments and mass production of goods positioned the UK as a leading nation in manufacturing.
Ever since, the UK has upheld its reputation and is still recognised across the world for its quality in production. Today we are one of the biggest manufacturing nations, employing almost 3 million people in the sector, delivering almost half of all UK exports and driving over 60% of all UK research and development.
Proud to be UK Manufacturers
You may not realise it but the Midlands accounts for the highest proportion of employees in the industry, something we know all about at Whittan. Our roots were buried deep within manufacturing when our market-leading brand Link51 was first set up over 70 years ago 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 local (and national) economy and its place in supporting a wide range of jobs across the UK. It is for this reason that we continue to invest heavily in our factories.
Making our products here on our shores goes above and beyond the economy, it’s also about supporting our customers. Manufacturing in the UK enables us to manage the quality of our products – something important to Whittan. When one of our racking or shelving products leaves our Link51 factory, our customers can be safe in the knowledge they will receive a product that meets our highest standards. After all, a storage solution designed correctly for its intended role, manufactured and installed to the highest standards, will deliver maximum levels of safety as well as longevity in service.
For our customers, it also enables us to offer an inherently flexible, turnkey service. By managing the design and manufacture of your storage system, we can offer you exactly what you need for your project with the added advantage of incredibly short delivery timescales. Whether you need a couple of bays for a small unit, or a large storage solution for a big shed, we can deliver it all. Finally, with shorter miles to travel, there is far less risk in the supply chain, minimising potential delays in delivering your order.
Supported by Make UK
We’re so proud of our British heritage and supporting manufacturing in the UK that we wanted to make our mark. That’s why we became members 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.
We are also fully behind their recent pledge to see British manufacturing get the support it truly deserves. Make UK want to see a robust industrial strategy in place which has cross-party consensus. A plan that will provide long-term stability for UK manufacturing that will improve the UK’s competitiveness on a global stage. They estimate that committing to a fixed target for the industry has the potential to add an extra £150bn to economic output. An investment that will heavily increase job prospects and stability in the UK and will help tackle regional inequality.
Make UK CEO, Stephen Phipson said: “Overall, such a strategy would have the aim of growing the contribution of manufacturing to GDP from 10% to 15% and so I am calling on all political parties to commit to this in their manifestos. Some may see this ambition as fanciful but, as globalisation shifts, why not aim to produce more here so we are less dependent on others for everything from our food to our energy and security.”
Meeting British Industry Standards
Proving the quality of our work doesn’t stop with the Made in Britain mark. We also meet the following UK safety and quality accreditation standards that provide you with confidence in our products:
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British Standards accreditation that shows the goods and processes from your supplier have been assessed against internally recognised standards and operate to the highest levels of quality and service.
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British Safety Council works towards making sure no one is injured or falls ill through their work. Members must follow strict codes of practice to develop better workplace practices and drive towards the highest health and safety standards.
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SEMA or the Storage Equipment Manufacturers Association raises safety and quality standards within the warehousing industry. As a Full Manufacturing SEMA Member, we submit our storage systems to independent product assessments. This guarantees the design meets industry standards and performs as intended under specified conditions.
UK manufacturing – the benefits of working with Whittan
It’s our investment in UK manufacturing that we believe gives us the edge over our competitors. We are one of only a few storage equipment suppliers who manufacture all our racking and shelving products here in the UK.
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 we offer our site survey and space planning service completely free of charge with no obligation to continue.
Get in touch today and see how Whittan can help your business.
