Resources
Keep up to date with the latest Business Growth Hub / Lancashire manufacturing news, blogs, client case studies and our 50 factsheets.
Thursday, August 3, 2023
What the Trans-Pacific trade deal may offer for Greater Manchester manufacturers
The government has formally signed a treaty to join a free trade bloc of 11 countries in Asia and the Pacific, paving the way for new trading relations that could benefit UK manufacturers.
Thursday, August 3, 2023
The importance of maintaining a happy workforce
Findings that 90% of manufacturing workers are open to moving jobs is an important reminder to manufacturing firms that investing in your workforce is a vital business strategy
Tuesday, August 1, 2023
1 in 3 SMEs using old machinery longer than planned
Many SMEs have had no choice but to extend the life of their existing assets due to ongoing supply chain difficulties, highlighting the importance of good supplier and inventory management.
Tuesday, August 1, 2023
1 in 4 manufacturers plan to invest in ‘digital decarbonisation’
New research has found that UK manufacturers are investing in digital technologies more than ever before to reduce their carbon footprint and make the transition to net zero.
Tuesday, August 1, 2023
Manufacturers get rewarded for ‘energy flexibility’
With electricity prices predicted to stay above pre-pandemic levels long into the future, manufacturers can take advantage of emerging opportunities to earn revenue by helping to balance the grid.
Tuesday, August 1, 2023
A third of engineers feel ‘ethically compromised’
An independent audit of UK engineering has found that although the profession compares favourably with the wider workforce, more could be done in some quarters to support ethical behaviour.
Tuesday, August 1, 2023
EU trade difficulties unchanged, business leaders say
Businesses are finding the trading relationship with the EU as difficult as they did 12 months ago, according to the Institute of Directors (IoD), with SMEs facing challenges ‘across the board’.
Friday, May 19, 2023
Exporters readying themselves for Australia and NZ trade
News that free trade deals with Australia and New Zealand will come into force on 31 May 2023 has been warmly welcomed by exporters, with bilateral trade set to grow by more than half long-term.
Wednesday, May 17, 2023
Not a natural marketing guru? Look at it like a manufacturing process
People in manufacturing tend to be excellent engineers and problem solvers, but not always excellent communicators. This can make marketing seem alien, but it’s actually just another production process, explains Steve Wilkinson.
Wednesday, May 17, 2023
How to become a Lean Champion in 2 days
Do you want to become a lean organisation but find the theory and off-the-shelf tools impenetrable as a small manufacturer? Learning the ‘What’, ‘What Else’ and ‘How’ of lean is all about putting it into context, says Steve Wilkinson.
Tuesday, May 16, 2023
Power prices predicted to remain above pre-pandemic levels
Despite wholesale costs falling rapidly, experts forecast that energy prices will still remain significantly higher than businesses are used to during the 2020s, so manufacturers cannot rest on their laurels.