New Executive vital to economic rebuild, says Manufacturing NI

Manufacturing and business leaders from across Northern Ireland gathered to officially kick off Manufacturing Month at a business breakfast in Belfast.

The event, hosted at KPMG’s offices at the Soloist Building in Belfast City Centre, was held to launch Manufacturing Month, an initiative to celebrate and cherish the local manufacturing and engineering sector in Northern Ireland.

First held in March 2020, Manufacturing Month will run through the entire month of May with a series of events, roundtables, factory tours, school visits, webinars, and the Anchor High leadership summit at the Galgorm.

The Month is a chance to celebrate and highlight the innovation and ingenuity of Northern Ireland’s manufacturers, as well as cherishing the people who make the sector the leading industry that it is.

Panellists at this morning’s event focused on the manufacturing sector’s resilience during the Covid pandemic, the industry’s recovery and rebuild, how to manage challenges like labour shortages and the rising cost of doing business, and the importance of a new Executive being formed as soon as possible after Thursday’s Assembly Election.

The breakfast was held in partnership with Business Eye, chaired by editor Richard Buckley, with a panel including Mary Meehan, deputy chief executive of Manufacturing NI, William Taylor, strategy director at KPMG, Laura Gillespie, partner at Pinsent Masons, Tony Murray, senior vice president at Lockton Companies LLP and John Mathers, corporate development director at Barclays.

Manufacturing Month is sponsored by KPMG, Pinsent Masons, Invest NI, Lockton Companies LLP, Barclays, and supported by Northern Ireland’s six further education colleges.

Manufacturing NI chief executive Stephen Kelly, said: “We’re thrilled to be launching Manufacturing Month once again. After the inaugural Manufacturing Month was cut short in March 2020 due to the arrival of Covid, this year is an opportunity to recognise the resilience of our makers over the past two years and highlight the skilled people, talented leaders, and world-class products that make our local sector the success story that it is.

“The Northern Ireland manufacturing sector has proven its resilience in recent times with the pandemic, Brexit, rapidly rising inflation, and supply chain difficulties. Despite these challenges, our manufacturers continue to bring in over £15bn for our local economy. Recent figures show that two thirds of firms here are growing again as we come out of the pandemic, a huge success and one to be proud of.

“Our companies provide secure and skilled jobs which support thousands of households across the country. Areas like Mid Ulster are world renowned clusters of manufacturing and employ thousands of skilled technicians and engineers. It’s crucial that following this week’s Assembly Election a fully functioning and committed Executive is formed, one which is focused wholly on recovering and rebuilding from the pandemic, creating new jobs, and securing investment which will transform our economy and our communities.

“Manufacturing Month is an exciting initiative which will shine a light on all that is good about our local industry, the people, the leaders, the products, and the innovation. The Month would not have been possible without the valued support of our sponsors, KPMG, Pinsent Masons, Lockton Companies LLP, Invest NI, and Barclays, and the support of the six local further education colleges. To have the backing of such prominent and leading organisations proves the strength of our local manufacturing industry.”