While recent reports on the health of UK manufacturing have been positive, the sector is still battling unchartered waters. With global disruption and economic pressures intensifying, manufacturers are at a crossroads – stand still and prepare for the bumpy ride ahead, or grab the opportunity to lead through innovation, skills and resilience.
This year’s National Manufacturing Day (Thursday 25th September 2025), industry leaders reflect on what’s needed for UK manufacturers to stay agile and competitive on a global stage.
Future-proofing operations
Building resilience into everyday operations is critical to retaining knowledge and safeguarding against uncontrollable and unpredictable external factors. Dean Reddington, Manufacturing Technology Specialist at ECI Solutions comments,”Today, on National Manufacturing Day, it’s great to reflect on the industry’s progress. Recent reports highlight an encouraging uptick in UK manufacturing activity and a rise in global rankings – proof of the sector’s resilience.
“Despite this, we can’t stand still. To remain competitive, manufacturers must continue to embrace technology that streamlines everything from supply chain management, orders and documentation. Only then will they be able to stay agile in a world where economic and environmental factors continue to throw curve balls.
“Too often, businesses rely on a single employee as a ‘knowledge hub’ – an unsustainable and inefficient way of sourcing vital information. While this may have worked in The Industrial Revolution, it’s certainly not an appropriate approach for the modern manufacturer.
“By embracing innovation and cloud-based systems, we’ve seen many manufacturers build resilience, efficiency, and flexibility into their operations – enabling them to capitalise on opportunities and stay future fit for what lies ahead.”
Humans and tech working together
With Britain maintaining its role as a nation of innovators, the importance of SMEs in driving UK manufacturing’s growth over the past few years serves as a clear reason to be optimistic about the future. Mark Gray, UK & Ireland Country Manager at Universal Robots comments, “The manufacturing sector has long been at the forefront of British innovation and ingenuity, with much of this progress driven by SMEs. Britain has reason to be optimistic about the future of its manufacturing industry, and SMEs remain central to positioning the UK as a nation of successful innovation.
“To turn this optimism into lasting growth, we must strengthen education and raise awareness of how new technologies can enhance, rather than replace, human productivity. The solution begins with skills. We need clear, accessible ‘learn and earn’ pathways to build a pipeline of homegrown talent, equipping the next generation of UK manufacturers for the decade ahead.
“The shift in mindset cannot rest on the national government alone. Academia, business leaders and industry alike share the responsibility of ensuring manufacturers have the knowledge and awareness to fully embrace new technologies and drive strong growth over the coming years.”
Smarter factories, stronger sector
As firms rise to face on-going challenges, smarter manufacturing solutions are ensuring the sector stays agile. Cognizant’s Prasanth Thomas, UKI Consulting Head for Manufacturing, Logistics, Energy and Utilities says, “National Manufacturing Day is an opportunity to recognise the resilience and innovation of UK manufacturers, who continue to effectively navigate the challenges of supply chain disruption, rising costs, and the need to decarbonise.
“Increasingly, they are turning to smart manufacturing to respond, adopting AI and automation to build agility and cut costs. This wave of digitalisation could deliver huge economic value, adding up to £150 billion to the UK economy by 2035.
“But progress also depends on people. Our research shows 42% of large manufacturers see the skills shortage as the biggest barrier. The UK Government’s Industrial Strategy rightly prioritises advanced manufacturing and skills development, but the industry must match this with investment in training and digital upskilling.
“Those who act now will be best placed to withstand future shocks and help cement the UK’s position as a global competitor in advanced manufacturing.”
Keeping businesses, customers and stakeholders connected
Alongside advancements in smart manufacturing, connectivity solutions are working to ensure British firms remain resilient and efficient. Jan Diekmann, Vertical Lead Manufacturing and Logistics at Ericsson Wireless Solutionscomments, “Major advancements have been made in manufacturing in recent times driven by innovations such as industrial IoT that can continuously monitor equipment health, digital twins that enhance predictive maintenance and safety, and machine and process data being used to optimise supply chains.
“However, these technologies are placing significant strain on legacy networks, which often lack either the flexibility or in case of wireless networks like Wi-Fi, the high bandwidth, speed, and reliability needed to support them. Traditional infrastructure typically cannot keep up as production environments become more complex and demanding of real-time information and scalability.
“What’s more, UK manufacturers are grappling with challenging conditions such as labour shortages, high input costs, and global supply chain disruptions, putting further pressure on their productivity and output. As they deploy smart technologies to achieve their goals, they need reliable, high-speed connectivity to support real-time data and automation in demanding environments – a crucial foundation for the next wave of industrial change.
“This is where private 5G steps in as the foundation to turbocharging automation through reliable and secure connectivity. It provides the dependable, high bandwidth, and low latency required to unlock new possibilities for productivity and efficiency.
Bolstering warehouses, keeping Britain moving
Widespread technological transformation for the manufacturing industry also means technological transformation of the subsectors that keep British manufacturing thriving. Warehousing in particular serves as the lifeblood for UK manufacturing, ensuring goods continue to move. Adrian Negotia, Chief Technology Officer at Dexory says, “National Manufacturing Day is a chance to celebrate the vital role manufacturing plays in driving innovation across the UK, and to recognise the warehouse as the backbone of our supply chains.
“As the sector faces labour shortages and global economic challenges, warehouses have evolved from simple storage facilities to integral logistical lifelines. By adopting modern technology for inventory and operations management, manufacturers can build greater resilience across the industry.
“In today’s interconnected world, the warehouse has never been more essential to protecting supply chains and keeping Britain moving. Manufacturers that invest in and protect their warehouses will play a crucial role in safeguarding the UK against global uncertainty.”
Harnessing the power of semiconductor chips
Another way UK firms are seeking to generate growth through efficiency is semiconductor chips, which are transforming item-level management. Shane Geary, Executive Vice President of Manufacturing and Operations at Pragmatic Semiconductor reflects, “As a country with strong industrial heritage and a track record of world-first innovation, the UK has a unique opportunity to lead globally in advanced manufacturing and emerging technologies, from semiconductors to quantum and photonics. But to seize the moment, manufacturers must tackle the considerable pressure to deliver faster, cheaper, and more sustainably, while managing global supply chain fragility
“At Pragmatic Semiconductor, we’re meeting that challenge. We’re redefining what’s possible with FlexICs, our low-cost, low-carbon flexible chips that are shipped worldwide, but are designed and manufactured here in the UK
“They’re produced at scale in days rather than weeks, with a fraction of the energy, water, and harmful chemicals used in traditional semiconductor production. And their flexible form factor, in combination with their low carbon footprint, means they can bring item-level intelligence where rigid chips simply can’t. From smart packaging and digital product passports, they’re powering the shift from the IoT to an AI-enabled Internet of Everything, across sectors as diverse as consumer, industrial, and healthcare.”
Learning from each other
National Manufacturing Day is a chance to reflect and learn on the technological progress made in the sector over the past few years and the promise of growth as more firms turn to smarter, more sustainable and efficient solutions. The ability from firms to learn from each other is what will propel Britain to manufacturing stardom, as the industry seeks to capitalise on ground-making advancements in AI, automation and logistics.
