Manufacturing News – Late January 2025
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A new initiative to help SMEs across the West Midlands diversify their customer base by winning new orders in growing areas of the economy has been overwhelmingly successful.
The Supply Chain Transition Programme is being delivered on behalf of the West Midlands Combined Authority and Business Growth West Midlands.
C&W Business Solutions, which is part of the Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub Group, has organised a Meet the Buyer event for businesses signed-up to the programme to connect suppliers to key customers in the sectors of Very Light Rail, Light Electric Vehicles, and Micromobility. The event will take place at the Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation (BCIMO) in Dudley on 4 February.
Although the Supply Chain Transition Programme is fully subscribed, any SMEs who would be interested in this type of support should contact supplychaintransition@cwgrowthhub.co.uk
The value added by manufacturing employees in the UK increased by almost £11,200 per worker between 2018 and 2023, a new analysis shows.
According to the findings by FourJaw Manufacturing Analytics for National Productivity Week, the gains seen in the UK were higher than in any other major manufacturing economy over the same period.
Engineering giant Dowlais is set to merge with American Axle Manufacturing (AAM) in a £1.16bn ($1.44bn) deal, combining two leading global players in the automotive sectors.
The cash-and-share agreement will create a “leading global manufacturer” with 51,000 employees, projected annual revenues of $12bn and cost synergies of $300m by the end of the third year after completion.
New York-listed AAM is a Detroit-based global supplier with 75 facilities across 16 countries. The manufacturer specialises in driveline and metal-forming technologies for electric, hybrid, and internal combustion vehicles, with around 21,000 employees across the world.
