Manufacturing News – Late July 2025
Estimated reading time 3 minutes
Manufacturing output in the South West has recovered from the impact of the pandemic faster than any other part of the UK and is now more than a quarter higher than it was in 2019.
Output in the region has grown by nearly 12% over the past two years, driven by its world-leading aerospace and defence industries, which are continuing to attract investment.
The latest Make UK/BDO Annual Regional Manufacturing Outlook shows there were almost a quarter of a million manufacturing jobs in the South West in 2024, with the sector accounting for just over 10% of the region’s economy overall.
Hundreds of jobs are to be created in Sheffield after Taiwanese advanced manufacturing company Walsin Lihwa (WL) revealed a major investment.
It will create over 200 jobs by 2028 in a first phase and marks the first step towards the company’s plans for a substantial presence in the UK, with further job creation and investment expected from WL in South Yorkshire and the UK in the coming years.
The business will establish a superalloy forging facility. And it is planning a research and development centre through an upgrade of its existing Special Melted Products (SMP) factory in Sheffield, which will be focused on producing speciality steel and nickel parts for aerospace jet engines and energy industry products.
Manufacturers in the East Midlands have seen output recover to almost a tenth higher (8%) than that recorded in 2019 according to the latest snapshot of the sectors’ contribution to the region’s economy.
The Make UK/BDO Annual Regional Manufacturing Outlook report shows the importance of the manufacturing sector to the East Midlands’s economy, accounting for almost a sixth (15%) of the region’s total output, well above the national average. It also contributes 261,000 highly skilled jobs, 10% of the region’s employment overall.
Three major sectors make up almost half of manufacturing production in the region with the largest being the food and drink sector worth almost a fifth (19.9%) of industrial output. This is followed by the transport sector worth 13.7% and rubber and plastics at 12.8%. https://www.thebusinessdesk.com/eastmidlands/news/2099731-manufacturing-critical-to-east-mids-economy-says-new-report?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=EastMidlands_14th_Jul_2025_Daily
