A year-long UK Manufacturing Dialogue has been launched to bridge communication and understanding gaps between industry, government and the general public.
Dods, the leading political and public affairs communications company for the UK and EU, has officially announced the launch of its UK Manufacturing Dialogue.
The 12-month programme of activities will discuss the future of UK manufacturing and the role of government in helping to promote its success and sustainability.
The dialogue has already secured the support of some of the biggest names operating in UK manufacturing including AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline (British Pharmaceutical Group), Boeing, General Motors and Finmeccanica. The project has also garnered the support of trade associations such as the Confederation of Paper Industries, the Food and Drink Federation, and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers as well as financial institutions supporting manufacturing strength in the UK like Barclays Corporate. The Manufacturer is among Dods’ media partners for this research alongside political publications like The House Magazine and ePolitix.com.
Speaking at the launch Programme Director Philip Eisenhart said: “We are really excited to be bringing together some of the major players of the manufacturing sector to explore how the government can support its growth, sustainability and dynamism.
“The UK is one of the largest manufacturing sectors in the world; this year-long programme will see the leading voices of manufacturing in the UK work closely with government and Parliament to ensure that the sector goes from strength to strength.”
The Dods’ UK Manufacturing Dialogue will see a series of events throughout 2011 including industry seminars, round table discussions and forums. There are also plans to run political surveys, canvassing awareness and understanding of key manufacturing issues among MPs and ministers, and public surveys to raise the profile of manufacturing with the wider UK population. The dialogue hopes to facilitate communication between industry leaders, investors and policy drivers and ensure that government talk around manufacturing is backed up by clear understanding of industry challenges. The research will culminate in a report to be launched in November 2011.
The aim of the Dods’ dialogue is not only to raise the profile of manufacturing in the UK as a sector rich career opportunities and investment prospects, but also to highlight information gaps between industry, government and the general public and suggest a framework for ways in which these can be bridged. The dialogue will cover a comprehensive range of topics pertaining to manufacturing in the UK including skills development, financial challenges, tax regimes, intellectual property, strategic research and development and more.
In the wake of the disappointment caused among industry leaders at the recent curtailing of the Manufacturing Framework document, which was expected to be released in November last year, it is to be hoped that the rigorous consultation process being applied by Dods to this dialogue will ensure that it does not meet a similar fate.
For more information or comment regarding the Dods’ UK Manufacturing Dialogue please contact Communications Manager Adam Lake on 0207 593 5644 or email [email protected].
