Manufacturing Month returns to challenge and champion the Northern Ireland sector

Manufacturing Month, which showcases the success and strength of Northern Ireland’s manufacturing and engineering sector, is set to return this May.

Led by Manufacturing Northern Ireland, the entire month will be dedicated to highlighting the companies, workers, and leaders who contribute to making Northern Ireland’s manufacturing sector the global success story that it is.

Manufacturing Month’s flagship Anchor High Summit will take place on Thursday, May 30 at The Slieve Donard Hotel, culminating in a Manufacturing Hall of Fame dinner to celebrate those who have led their business to create jobs, and who are contributing to local communities right across Northern Ireland.

This year’s Anchor High Summit will see a strong focus on challenging manufacturing firms to become more neuro-diverse and menopause-friendly workplaces, with the event set to feature a speaker line up of industry experts and pioneering leaders to inspire others to change the world of work.

The month is sponsored by some of Northern Ireland’s leading companies and organisations including Barclays, Invest Northern Ireland, Mills Selig, Reliance Automation, KPMG and Smart Manufacturing Data Hub.

Stephen Kelly, chief executive, Manufacturing NI, said: “There is much to celebrate in our sector this Manufacturing Month. As the second largest contributor to Northern Ireland’s economy, we punch well above our weight in terms of our scale and reach. Manufacturing and engineering accounts for just 6% of the total private sector business population, but we employ 11% of Northern Ireland’s workforce and account for 13.4% of our local economic output, compared to a UK figure of 9.8%.

“We continue to have remarkable success at home and overseas, solving problems for customers and mitigating against emerging existential threats to our planet. This is due to the skilled and innovative leaders and colleagues that make up our manufacturing population.

“However, at Manufacturing NI, we’re acutely aware of the challenges that our sector is facing including the availability of labour, decarbonisation and driving productivity through technology. Manufacturing Month, and indeed our Anchor High Summit, is our platform to challenge our manufacturing leaders to think differently about their businesses.

“Making sure that our local manufacturing businesses are inclusive for women going through menopause and individuals who are neuro-diverse is something we are eager to explore. Manufacturing Month is the time for everyone in the sector to look inwards, learn from each other, and improve our practices to ensure that we create environments where all individuals feel valued, supported, and importantly, want to work”.