Each day The Manufacturer compiles the top manufacturing news stories from around the web. To make your life a little easier, we trawl through all the major trade publications, broadsheets and business magazines to find you the most important manufacturing news each morning. Don't forget to bookmark this page and check back daily.
Best first quarter for CV production since 2008 despite March drop, SMMT figures reveal
UK commercial vehicle (CV) output rose by 27.4% in the first quarter of 2024, the best Q1 performance since 2008, according to figures published yesterday by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
A total of 32,626 vans, trucks, taxis, buses and coaches left factory lines, up 18.6% on pre-pandemic 2019 volumes, with demand driven by overseas orders. More via The Manufacturer
Staggering ‘760k jobs at risk’ if UK fails to keep up with China on critical minerals
Automotive manufacturing jobs in Britain are at risk unless China’s ambition in securing access to critical minerals needed for batteries can be matched, an expert has said.
The warning comes as an International Energy Agency report revealed the world’s second largest economy has cornered the market with 85 percent of battery cell production capacity. Increased sales of electric vehicles are driving up demand for batteries, particularly in the US and Europe last year, according to the IEA. More via Daily Express
Law to limit petrol car sales is ‘terrible for the UK’, warns Vauxhall maker
The net zero crackdown on combustion engines could force the maker of Vauxhall to scale back its presence in Britain, its boss has warned.
Carlos Tavares, chief executive of Stellantis, said that a law to limit petrol car sales was “terrible for the UK” and would force manufacturers to sell vehicles at a loss. More via The Telegraph
McCain ‘futureproofs’ Scarborough facility with completion of £170m investment
McCain Foods, the UK’s largest manufacturer of frozen potato products, has completed extensive works at its Scarborough site, home of McCain GB, following a £170 million investment.
The Scarborough factory, which produces some of McCain’s most loved products – from UK bestseller Home Chips, its iconic Jackets, and new to market Baby Hasselbacks – has undergone a seven-year transformation, becoming a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. More via This is the Coast
Albion Stone strikes gold with UK’s first sustainable brick production line
A Dorset mining and manufacturing business, responsible for the supply of stone to some of the UK’s most historic buildings – including Buckingham Palace and St Paul’s Cathedral – has created a pioneering production line to launch a new first of its kind natural brick range and springboard for growth. More via The Manufacturer
Johnson Tiles factory set to close with 105 job losses ending 123 years of history
Johnson Tiles is set to shut its Stoke-on-Trent factory with the loss of more than 100 jobs. The shock closure news follows the announcement of a management buyout deal with parent company Norcros.
Full details have not yet been disclosed but a consultation with 105 workers at the Tunstall plant in Harewood Street is now underway. Johnson Tiles will instead become a standalone business with all production outsourced. More via Stoke-on-Trent Live
Online hub ‘could save manufacturers £20,000’
A new AI-powered digital marketplace could save UK manufacturers up to £20,000 in just 20 minutes, according to its founders. The Manufacturing Connections Hub is an online platform that connects manufacturers to suppliers, customers, investors, partners, academics and the government. More via Drives & Controls
Cumbrian nuclear network selects new champion for women in the industry
Advocating for more women to pursue leadership roles in the nuclear industry, Britain’s Energy Coast Business Cluster (BECBC) has welcomed an experienced ambassador to their board.
Hayley Critchley, Sizewell C Head of Site Compliance at EDF, will bring her wealth of experience in the nuclear industry to BECBC’s network of organisations as a Non-Executive Director (NED) over the next year. More via The Manufacturer
