As we arrive in the topical and highly contentious month, that is to be Brexit, we’re talking about the brilliance of British industry and the reasons we’re seeing clients bringing their product design and manufacturing back to the UK and it’s not because of Brexit!
According to great.gov.uk, the UK stands as the worlds 5th largest economy, with British businesses benefitting from the lowest corporation tax. We lead the way for innovation, ranking 5th on the Goblal Innovation Index, and have access to talent from some of the world’s leading universities. As a British born and bred product design consultancy, we are noticing a trend of organisations bringing business back to the UK, rather than outsourcing to overseas suppliers.
Why buy into British? There are some stand-out reasons as to why it is logistically, economically and environmentally advantageous to design and manufacture in the UK. We believe, these are drivers for associates in our network to bring British back. And they are all reasons that totally Trump Brexit – pardon the political pun!
By keeping your end-to-end product design and manufacturing within the UK, you benefit first and foremost from the high quality of output that we are known for; British Engineering. With Oxford and Cambridge universities sitting in the top 10 of go-to universities for engineering excellence, there is a pool of talent being trained up to the highest of standards as we type! And the future looks bright here in the UK for Engineering graduates; according to the UK 300 the list of leading engineering employers in our homeland list is enviable. With renowned businesses such as Rolls-Royce plc, British Airways, Jaguar Landrover, Aston Martin, Dyson and Siemens appearing in the top 10, there is certainly a lot for graduates to shout about.
Logistically of course, when you buy British in terms of getting a new product up and running, you benefit from reduced shipping costs, no requirement for import taxes and any costs associated with schlepping off half way around the world to meet your team, should you feel that is a requirement. In the process of course, you are consequently reducing your carbon emissions and supplier miles – a win for the planet! Meetings are made easier and the value of face to face engagement with your suppliers should never be underestimated. As we all know, a great relationship helps you get things done right, and could even be as critical as making sure you aren’t paying twice!
According to great.gov.uk, The World Economic Forum considers the UK to be leading the way for Industry 4.0, the 4th Industrial Revolution, with the UK ranking second for technology and innovation, and an impressive first for available financing – good news for those with funding requirements! The UK is also recognised for its growth in digital process engineering, robotics and autonomous systems, as well as its significant investment into R&D initiatives in industries such as manufacturing, clean energy, integrated transport, health and wellbeing and beyond.
In terms of technology, great.gov.uk notes that 2018 saw the UK turnover £184b in digital technology and was cited as the 4th most innovative place in the world according to the Global Innovation Index that year. As the third largest digital technology sector worldwide, the UK are considered a Global Technology Leader, with the innovation, technology and tenacity to stay ahead of the curve.
So when you’re considering where to place your design project, which suppliers you want to invest in and how your end-to-end product design journey might look, make sure you factor in the ease of communications, the savings to be made and the value of making connections and building networks with local or national businesses.
If you have a product line or project that you feel could benefit from being brought back to the UK, get in touch with our expert team today, and we will be happy to guide you through your next steps to product design success! Give us a call on 01962 454474 or drop us a line at contact@conficio.design.
