Manufacturing and local enterprise will be key to the continued regional recovery where there are already encouraging signs. But manufacturing businesses can help themselves and each other towards growth by adopting a ‘local sourcing’ strategy.

Many firms have over the past decade become used to sourcing products overseas, or from suppliers around the UK, and we often forget about, or are unaware of the vast range of manufacturers and products that they produce right here in Leeds and the other towns and cities in Yorkshire.

It won’t always be possible to find the very specialised widget your firm needs on your doorstep. But if we take the time to look around and review our supplier lists, as companies like furniture designer ABF Europe have found, there is a great deal more we could buy from within the region, keeping trade circulating at home and bringing many other business benefits.

A weak pound had made UK sourced products increasingly competitive over the past few years and freight costs were running at the highest level for years.

This, coupled with the benefits of much shorter lead times, better quality control, improved payment terms and lower transportation costs means there are a number of compelling reasons to be using even similarly priced locally sourced products,” he said, adding that environmental factors were also important.

So we’re suggesting a real nuts and bolts route to speed the recovery and avoid uncertainty – simply look to shop locally and regionally for your materials and product components. There will be specialist products that cannot be sourced here but don’t underestimate the number of companies that could be making your components and raw materials right here.

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