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Advanced manufacturing

Pioneering innovation, unlocking productivity

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The Midlands is the leading force of UK advanced manufacturing, powering people and unlocking productivity for growth and prosperity.

Our diverse strengths range from aerospace and cars, through medicines and materials, to textiles and food – all led by innovative clusters of globally significant businesses and world-leading research centres.

Interconnected supply chains across the region form a thriving ecosystem of companies of all sizes collaborating to manufacture everyday products and highly-specialised components.

Advanced manufacturing is the second largest sector in the Midlands, accounting for 16% of the region’s total economy and sustaining over 513,000 jobs – 25% of all manufacturing jobs in England. The sector generates £37.8 billion GVA for the UK economy each year, with huge potential for more.

As new challenges arise, such as changing import and export patterns and the advance of automation and digitalisation technologies, our manufacturing sector is innovating and adapting to seize exceptional opportunities for growth.

Innovation strengths include advanced materials and manufacturing, electronics, photonics, energy and environment technologies. And with a unique concentration of R&D energy infrastructure and wide-ranging advanced manufacturing capabilities, the Midlands is ideally placed to become a national and global centre for net zero technology.

Our rich environment of innovation is fostered through our world-leading universities and the highest number of catapult centres in the UK, putting our region at the forefront of making the vital links between concepts and commercialisation.

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The Midlands is the home of UK advanced manufacturing

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%

Of all UK manufacturing

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of all England's manufacturing jobs

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Manufacturing workforce

£

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GVA per year from Midlands advanced manufacturers

Manufacturing reports
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