Skills, public sector procurement and supply chain development were the key themes on the agenda at this morning’s ‘Hidden Strengths’ debate, organised by Yorkshire Business Insider.

“The Leeds City Region is one of the most important centres for financial and legal services but it also has one of the biggest manufacturing clusters outside London and manufacturing has a key role to play in rebalancing the economy,” says Insider deputy editor…

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Tags: Engineering Employers Federation, Leeds City Region, Leeds Manufacturing, Optare, skills challenge

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Spread risk, learn from others to makes sure you avoid their mistakes and make the most of every opportunity to meet people and network are some of the top tips for exporters from Lord Digby Jones.

The former Minister of Trade and Industry was speaking at an event in Wakefield, organised by UKTI and  looking at export growth opportunities for companies in the advanced engineering sector.

Manufacturing accounts for 40…

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Tags: Advanced engineering, Engineering, Exports, Globalisation

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Bagel Nash has unveiled plans to open up to 40 new stores in the next five years and create around 200 jobs according to TheBusinessDesk.com.

The bagel and coffee shop chain is also set to rebrand its existing outlets as its new management team starts to put its plans into action.

Bagel Nash was bought from itsfounders Uri and Karen Mizrahi last year by Andy Micklethwaite and Sara…

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Tags: Bagel Nash, Food and drink, Leeds Manufacturing

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“The pressure to source renewable energy has never been greater”, said Read More

Tags: Green economy, Green investment bank, Offshore wind power, Renewable energy, Renewable technologies, Sustainability

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A new survey from the CBI says manufacturers are seeing order books weaken as a result of the continuing instability in the Eurozone.

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Tags: Confederation of British Industry, Future of UK Manufacturing, Leeds Manufacturing

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UK manufacturers predict that production will continue to grow over the next three months despite order book levels slackening during September, according to the latest monthly Industrial Trends Survey from the CBI.

Of 470 manufacturers surveyed, 22% described total orders as above normal, and 31% said they were below. The CBI says the resulting balance of -9% indicates order book levels slipped back in September, though this measure remains…

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Tags: Brewing, Confederation of British Industry, Engineering, Investment, Jobs, Textiles

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Raw material costs and shortages are driving manufacturers to make ‘radical’ changes to how they work, according to a survey released by EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation and RBS.

The survey shows that almost half of companies have redesigned products or processes in response to rising materials prices and 40% admitted to substituting some inputs with cheaper alternatives. Nearly two-thirds of companies have sought different sourcing options with just over 4…

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Tags: Future of UK Manufacturing

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Do you think the government is doing enough to support UK manufacturing? Find out what business secretary Vince Cable and shadow secretary John Denhma have to say on the subject in the new Financial Times video Firing up British manufacturing. As the government attempts to rebalance the UK economy towards manufacturing, debate arounf industrial policy has moved high up the political agenda. But will regional growth programmes and…

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Tags: Future of UK Manufacturing

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Symington’s, the Leeds-based food business, has added to its portfolio of leading names by acquiring the Chicken Tonight and Ragu brands.

The purchase of the two names from Unilever by the Leeds-based business is expected to boost its annual gross sales to around £150m.

It follows the recent acquisition of salad crouton brand La Rochelle and the re-introduction of the Campbell’s soup brand to British supermarket shelves by Symington’s.

Other…

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Tags: Food and drink, Leeds Manufacturing

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The latest Leeds York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce quarterly economic survey shows that overseas markets continue to present opportunities for exporters and that manufacturers are outperforming their service sector counterparts by some distance.

More than half of exporting-manufacturers are experiencing an increase in overseas sales and orders, according to the survey, and the majority of the sector’s growth is coming from international trade. Service sector exporters reported…

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Tags: Exports, Leeds, Leeds Chamber, Leeds Manufacturing, Overseas Markets

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