Although the past 50 or so years has seen manufacturing all across the UK decline as a result in a shift towards financial and other tertiary industries, here in 2014, there has been a string of manufacturing company successes that are generating increasing buzz around UK manufacturing, and despite some slowdown in recent months, the trend for UK manufacturing is positive.
If you’re looking to create a business and manufacturing has piqued your interest, now might be the time to take the idea seriously and give it some extra thought. If you’re unsure of where to begin, or if you need a little bit of convincing, we’ve put together this short guide that explains how you can make a successful living out of a UK-based manufacturing industry.
The atmosphere in the UK at the moment towards overseas manufacturing is one of dismiss. Many people wish that there could be more of an emphasis on UK manufacturing, allowing the nation’s once booming industries to return, providing necessary jobs to those of the country who have been left behind in the wake of the rise of tertiary industries.
Therefore, what this means to you as somebody potentially interested in creating your own manufacturing business, is that there’s a popular demand for UK industry. So with the population behind you, what’s the next stage?
Manufacturing What, Exactly?
One of the most important questions that you’ll have to answer is what – precisely – are you going to be manufacturing?
There are some obvious constraints that should define the scope of your decision, one being your knowledge. If you have a career history of working in the automotive industry, it would make business sense to get involved in automotive manufacturing.
Another factor is demand. Do you specialise in energy manufacturing? If so, you might want to consider manufacturing of green energy products, as the government is under increasing pressure to move away from non-renewables like coal, oil and gas.
Tools for the Job
Finally, you need to consider whether you can afford the tools necessary for the business. If you think that the various pieces of machinery you’ll need are too expensive, there are potentially ways around the issue. For example, you could purchase your machines second-hand.
Machines like press brakes from companies like Clarence Jones Machinery for design and prototyping, work just as well second-hand as they do new, allowing you to reduce start-up costs while maintaining a high quality end product.
So there you have it: some of the ways you can create a successful UK manufacturing business. There’s obviously a lot more that goes into your final decision than what we’ve mentioned above, but it’s a start.