A Tyseley-based businessman has urged Chancellor George Osbourne to support innovation, jobs and growth in manufacturing to lead Britain out of recession in today's Budget.
Graham Jones of the Mereway Group, a Birmingham kitchen and bathroom manufacturer, has warned the government not to miss the opportunity to build on current optimism and to make support for UK manufacturers a top priority.
His statement comes after Mereway Kitchens revealed it had created 22 new jobs and invested nearly £0.5m in new kitchen and bathroom products.
Jones said: “We would not have been able to deliver any of this without a commitment to innovation and investment.
“Across the Mereway Group we have invested in new sustainable power sources and more efficient machinery to remain competitive and enable us to grow.
“It is vital that companies like ours are encouraged and given the infrastructure to innovate and invest to develop up to date ranges and strategies, if we are to continue to succeed.
“I hope that the Government recognises this and that we see some new initiatives that will support manufacturers.”
The firm has 220 employees and predicts a 10% boost in turnover across its major channels by the end of the year.
