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Serving the UK & IE plastics industry
Brexit has shaken up businesses across the country, and many companies are using this as an opportunity to re-evaluate the way they are conducting their manufacturing.
As the MD of a UK injection moulding specialist, I have always been a strong advocate for the reshoring of moulding work. This has culminated in my participation on a specialist panel on this subject at the recent SMMT International Automotive Summit.
If you are one of the growing number of UK companies looking to bring previously offshored moulding work back into the UK, then this blog should help you to decide the best way to achieve your goal.
By Simon Anderson – MD of LVS Small Plastic Parts
Like most SME’s, the Brexit vote came as a shock to LVS Small Plastic Parts last year. As part of the larger business community, we felt that a status quo would be the best outcome for the manufacturing sector. Our own business being so heavily aligned to the automotive sector helped to reinforce this opinion.
When large OEMs such as JLR are ‘waving the flag’ in building a UK based supply chain, we are right to be more optimistic about the future of our Toolmaking industry. But do you need ‘deep pockets’ in order to be patriotic and support the cause?
We all know that in recent years there has been a ‘buzz’ in the general Manufacturing Sector about more product being sourced from within the UK, but what do the actual numbers tell us?
USA manufacturing is booming and riding the crest of the Re-Shoring wave. But I’m fearful we’re losing steam in the UK………
It is fantastic to see UK Manufacturing enjoying a renaissance especially in the Plastic Injection Moulding sector where we have a new buzz word called ‘reshoring’. I can’t help wondering though whether too many businesses were quick to sell out to what was perceived to be the ‘Holy Grail’ in manufacturing in the first place. I wrestle with this question that is rarely asked…
Thank you China! You made us better, more efficient, improved lead-times, enabled us to make profit from poor quality tools and now it’s less competitive for the Far East to win more business – overseas competition was a good thing!
