Business Secretary , yesterday co-chaired a meeting
of the UK’s business and manufacturing leaders met today to
discuss how the UK manufacturing industry can be transformed
through industrial digital technology (IDT).
Co-chaired by Professor Juergen Maier, Siemens
CEO, the Made Smarter Commission is made up of eight women and
eight men from the some of the world’s leading businesses and
trade bodies and unions.
The Commission discussed how the manufacturing
industry can be transformed by new techniques such as 3D
printing, simulation testing and other innovative uses of IDTs as
well as the need for stronger and more ambitious
leadership.
The Made Smarter Commission is designed to
oversee and take forward a plan for the sector, including how
manufacturing will help realise the Grand Challenges, putting the
industry at the heart of the government’s modern Industrial
Strategy.
Business Secretary said:
“There is a lot of incredible work being
done in digitising the manufacturing industry and it’s work we
want to share throughout the sector. Everyone around the table
has contributed to Industrial Strategy and I genuinely believe we
are living in one of the most exciting times since the first
Industrial Revolution
“Everything from agriculture to retail is
being transformed and if we get this right workers will benefit
as much as investors.
“We are on the cusp of a fourth Industrial
Revolution and British Manufacturing needs to be ready for
it.
“Our modern Industrial Strategy places
manufacturing at its heart and the Made Smarter Commission
meeting today is testament to Government and Industry putting
this into practice and working together to address challenges
that will benefit us all”.
Key priorities for the first meeting included
the North West’ pilot for adoption of digital technology by
manufacturers in the North West and the Industrial Strategy
Challenge Fund bid for digital manufacturing in development which
aims to bring together the UK’s world-leading research with
business to meet the major industrial and societal challenges of
our time.
The Commission was formed following the launch
of the Made Smarter Review that brought together input and
recommendations from over 200 stakeholders, including companies
such as Rolls Royce, GKN, IBM, and Accenture. The Review had
substantive input from SME’s as well as academic institutions
including the University of Newcastle and the University of
Cambridge.
Opening the meeting Professor Juergen Maier,
Siemens CEO said:
“We are trying to put Britain much more on the
map to help British manufacturing thrive and be more
productive.
“One of the major points that came out of the
review was that of the pace of which technology is adopted and we
know that is vital. Another is the importance of leadership and
ambition.
“We know that this has to come from a a high
profile leadership group and that is why we have created this
Commission and I am thrilled we have such a fantastic group of
people of the highest calibre on contribution to business,
economy and workforce.”
The UK sits in top ten largest global
manufacturing economies and is the fourth largest in the EU. In
2017, manufacturing GVA totalled £186bn, supporting 2.7 million
jobs (with estimates of 5 million across the whole manufacturing
value chain) and still accounts for 48% of the UK total exports
of goods and services.
ENDS
NOTES TO
EDITORS:
The Made Smarter Commission
Members
-
Co- Chair – Business Secretary,
-
Co-Chair - Prof Juergen Maier, CEO Siemens UK
-
EEF - Dame Judith Hackitt, Chair
-
GSK - Regis Simard, President Pharma Supply Chain
-
GE Digital - Deborah Sherry, Chief Commercial Officer
-
Renishaw Plc - William Lee, CEO
-
Royal Academy of Engineering - Dr. Hayaatun Sillem, CEO
-
ICW - Margaret Wood, Chair
-
Lambert Engineering - Mike Lewis, Associate Sales Director
-
Confederation of British Industry (CBI) - Carolyn Fairbairn,
CEO
-
ABB limited - Ian Funnell, CEO
-
Nestle UK and Ireland - Dame Fiona Kendrick, Chair and CEO
-
Rolls Royce Plc - Warren East, CEO
-
TUC - Frances O’Grady, General Secretary
-
Accenture - Oliver Benzecry, Managing Director
-
Airbus UK - Katherine Bennett, Senior Vice
President
-
BAE Systems Plc - Nigel Whitehead, Chief Technology Officer
-
AT Engine Controls - Andrea Hough, Managing Director
-
Jaguar Land Rover Ltd - Dr. Ralf Speth, Chief Executive
Officer
