Author: European Springs Web Team

With Brexit being pushed back until 31st January 2020, manufacturing businesses have more time to ensure they are fully prepared for Brexit when a deal is struck. While Brexit has been rumbling on for the last few years, there are still a large proportion of businesses who are not yet prepared for Brexit.

Here, we take a look at what manufacturing companies can do to best prepare for Brexit, listing some of the steps your business should consider taking to minimise the impact over the coming years.

Plan For The Short and Long Term

Whilst things are still relatively unclear when it comes to effects Brexit is likely to have on the UK; it’s important that your business does have some plans in place for the months following and longer-term plans too.

You will need to consider just what implications Brexit may have on your business on an individual scale, for example:

  • Will my current workforce begin to leave the company following Brexit?
  • Are there any existing trade relationships I have with companies in the EU?
  • Do I need to stockpile stock, or begin selling off surplus ahead of Brexit?
  • How will I communicate any changes to business operations due to Brexit to existing and potential customers?

Whilst these are just some of the questions your business needs to consider, it’s important that you spend significant time carefully considering each and every eventuality so you can be sure you have covered everything.

Putting short term measures in for the months following Brexit is important to ensure your business continues operating at close to normal levels where possible. If your business can continue to work efficiently and still distribute your products at normal levels, then the impact of Brexit on your manufacturing business should be minimal.

Once you have made it through the initial months following Brexit, you should then start thinking longer term, looking to ensure your business has a plan in place to guarantee growth in the years after the UK leaves the European Union.

Brexit Jigsaw

Invest In New Technology and Innovation

There is a common misconception that businesses should look to cut back on investment within the business in the lead up to Brexit – however, this isn’t the case for the vast majority of companies. If you have the funds and capability available to you, then you should definitely keep investing in the very latest technologies to enhance current internal processes.

Taking the time to properly assess any potential technologies you could implement into your company is absolutely vital, if there is the possibility of making your workflow more efficient or cheaper in the long run, don’t be afraid to invest, even with Brexit fast approaching. It’s fair to say that the new technologies and innovations made in your company could be extremely beneficial if overall productivity drops following Brexit.

3D

Recruit and Retain The Right People

Ensuring that you have the right staff in place in the lead up to, and after Brexit is essential to the success of your business. If there is an opportunity to hire a new member of staff who is able to carry out an important role within your business, it’s vital that you do your best to hire them. It’s well documented that highly skilled workers are few and far between in the manufacturing industry at present, so any opportunities that present themselves simply must be taken.

When it comes to retaining talent, it’s important that your business has a well thought out strategy ahead of Brexit to ensure there are measures put in place that will guarantee your current workforce want to stay with your business. Laying out plans for upskilling within the business, potential pay rises, and bonuses are a great way to ensure your workforce stays motivated throughout the year, especially when Brexit does hit.

It’s also worth noting that there is a good chance that if you do employ any EU Nationals in your workforce that they will probably be affected by Brexit in some way, so it’s important to plan for any eventuality. Also, don’t forget to offer support to any EU Nationals who are working within your business throughout the process, they will likely be extremely worried about what will happen in the future. Taking the time to offer additional support to these employees is vital and will raise morale among other workers too.

Engineers Working

As expert spring manufacturers, we are taking precautions to ensure that our business and valued customers are not affected by Brexit. We hope that you found our advice helpful, and hopefully you can begin using some of the tips to guarantee the future of your business post Brexit.

Manufacturing businesses across the world face a number of challenges on a day to day basis, so it’s important that anyone who works within the sector is extremely flexible and adaptable. Whilst there are some more obvious challenges faced by manufacturers in the UK, such as the impact of Brexit on the sector and addressing the ever-increasing skills gap, there are a whole host of other challenges that are not as well documented.

In this article, we take a look at some of the biggest challenges facing the manufacturing industry in 2020, delving deeper into the issues and what can be done to remedy them.

Gender Gap

In 2017, just 15.1% of the UK engineering undergraduates were women – this figure sits significantly lower than other countries, with India having double the number of women studying engineering at university.

There are even more worrying stats when we take a look at the number of women actually working in engineering roles, with just 11% of the UK’s engineering force being female. Whilst there has been positive movement in terms of more women beginning to filter through into engineering jobs in recent years, more needs to be done by companies across the UK, along with the Government.

Whilst there is no simple way to ensure that the gender gap is filled in the short-term, it’s fair to say that more long-term initiatives must be considered to ensure that more women begin filtering into engineering-related roles. Education on engineering roles needs to be introduced at a much younger age, and whilst Governments could ensure this happens, it’s also important for manufacturing governing bodies and companies to raise awareness of the industry to all children, paying particular attention to girls.

Engineers Working

Worker Safety

Ensuring that your workers are always safe whilst working within your business is of paramount importance. Although manufacturing businesses across the UK invest large sums of money into extensive training courses and ensuring the right types of equipment are available to employees, there are still a small number of accidents that happen each year.

Whilst there is always the danger of accidents occurring in the workplace, especially in a manufacturing setting; things can be done to minimise the risk of accidents.

By ensuring your employees are all fully trained in line with current health and safety best practices, and they have all of the latest safety equipment available to them at all times, you can rest assured that you are doing all you can to keep your workforce safe.

Skills Shortage

Much has been made of the skills shortage within the manufacturing industry over the last few years, and whilst steps have been made in trying to close the skills gap, more must be done. The Government have placed emphasis on ensuring manufacturing businesses do make use of apprenticeships to upskill young workers, which will certainly help in the long-term. Although it’s worth noting that in the short-term, there are not many quick fixes on the horizon, so it’s well worth investing in your current workforce and looking to upskill any workers who are keen to progress further within your company.

It’s also worth noting that the UK has already started to lose highly skilled workers due to Brexit and will continue to do so over the coming years, making it imperative that more is done to fill the skills gap as soon as possible.

Manufacturing

Integrating Industry 4.0 Into Work Processes

It cannot be understated just how important Industry 4.0 is to the future of manufacturing, and for that reason manufacturers across the globe simply must begin incorporating smart technologies into their manufacturing processes as soon as possible.

Whilst some businesses simply cannot afford the initial expenditure required to properly implement Industry 4.0 technologies, there are a large number of businesses who are simply reluctant to invest.

There are a whole host of benefits that Industry 4.0 can bring to a manufacturing business, from cost reductions right through to increased efficiency and productivity throughout the workforce. To ensure the manufacturing industry takes steps to ensure its long-term future, Governments must look at finding ways to help companies who cannot afford to invest Industry 4.0 technologies to ensure the entire sector is propelled to new heights.

Brexit

Brexit has been looming over the UK for the past few years, and whilst we are still relatively in the dark as to when the UK will actually leave the European Union, there is no doubt it will have a huge effect on the manufacturing industry when we do. It remains to be seen exactly how Brexit will affect manufacturing firms, with very little solid information available at this present moment.

Whilst there isn’t a whole lot your business can do, it’s absolutely vital that your business does take steps to ensure you are as prepared for Brexit as you possibly can be. Whether that means stockpiling materials that may become difficult to purchase in the months following Brexit or ensuring that your workflow and distribution is unaffected by Brexit, be sure to put some precautions in place.

Brexit

As expert spring suppliers, we always ensure we are keeping our finger on the pulse of the very latest manufacturing news. Be sure to check in on our blog regularly to receive the very latest news from the engineering and manufacturing industry.

The UK has enjoyed a fantastic year in 2019; HMRC have reported that our goods exports have been breaking records and reaching highs of £639bn. In this article, we’re going to be taking a closer look at what this means for the future of UK exports and our predictions for manufacturing in 2020.

uk exports money save brexit

Largest Areas of Growth

One of the largest areas of growth occurred in Scotland in the second quarter, where profits on goods exports grew by 14.5% to an astonishing £34bn. It is thought that China played a massive part in this growth because their demand for Scottish goods increased by 213.8%, according to Business Leader.

Within England specifically, the main regions to experience growth were London and the East Midlands, with growth of 10.1% and 9.3% to profits respectively. Brexit has had a massive impact on the landscape of British goods exports and HMRC has reported that since the vote in July 2016, exports from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have increased significantly. It is suspected that Brexit has opened British business to international trade across the globe.

How the UK Compares

Compared to the rest of the EU, the UK has so far exhibited faster growth in exports than the overall rate for the European Union (at 11.9%), according to OECD data released earlier this year. For greater understanding of the depth of this success, we have broken down some of the stats from other key players in the EU below:

Export Growth 2018/19

UK – 13.8%

Italy – 11.4%

Germany – 10.5%

France 10.1%

Not only is the UK doing well statistically, the Secretary of State for International Trade has also voiced their confidence for our future:

‘My international economic department is confident British businesses will continue to excel as we leave the EU and will offer its full support to businesses with the same ambition.’

Brexit means a lot of different things to many people, but some of the most important features have been mass confusion and fears of financial insecurity. While we can’t promise that the confusion will come to an end any time soon, it certainly seems that the financial security of businesses exporting worldwide is unlikely to be compromised by the outcome of the vote.

The Effects of Britain’s Success

Our nation’s fantastic success has been a great boon for our country’s immediate development, but it also bodes well for the future, too. Success encourages trust from other nations, and our success has led to an increase in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) with UK inwards investment stock increasing by an entire 5% (gov.uk).

uk exports money save brexit copper pennies old pound coin gbp

Looking Towards 2020

Overall, we might hope to see continued growth for our country across 2020, and that our nation would continue to eclipse our competitors in our export trades. However, various sources suspect the verity of this forecast.

The Guardian, for example, states the deal will determine Britain’s future on the global market, with a no-deal Brexit set to ‘slice almost 3% from the UK economic growth over the next three years.’. The OECD, who collected the majority of data used in this article, have speculated that Britain will be hit hard if Brexit truly occurs on October 31st, as the lack of access to markets in the EU will likely cause the UK to drop into a recession next year, causing further damage to the Great British Pound.

The declining value of the pound should also be weighed against the perceived growth in UK exports, because while the figures themselves may be rising to never before seen heights, this may mean less when one considers the worth of the fatigued British pound. For example, while the UK’s export growth across 2018/2019 this year has grown by 13.8%, The Guardian estimated last month that since Brexit began the pound has lost 20% of its value.

Securing a deal with Brexit is vital to ensuring that the pound remains strong, thereby securing more meaningful growth for our UK goods export industries. It is vital that business and countries maintain and continue conversation on the topic to ensure that we make meaningful change with Brexit that will encourage long term growth for our nation, rather than change simply for the sake of change.

European Springs and 2020

Throughout this period of economic victory in UK exports and into the uncertain future fogged by Brexit, European Springs are proud to continue to thrive in trying times. As one of the UK’s leading spring manufacturers, we have continued to invest in our company’s future, by purchasing some state of the art machinery which will help to ensure our processes are further streamlined.

The team at European Springs understand just how important communication will be to securing the best future for Britain in the coming months, and we certainly hope to keep you updated on the latest news from our industry and business in the near future.

golden springs

Ensuring that the next generation of engineers and scientist are given all the tools they need to succeed in their studies is of paramount importance to not only the industry, but also the UK as a whole. Over the last few months, the UK has seen some great success stories from the next generation of engineers in both national and international competitions.

Here, we take a look at some of the recent achievements of students around the UK, whilst focusing on the successes of students from Northern Ireland.

Students Together

UK Students Come Runner Up In International Competition

Three students from a school in Loughborough competed on the international stage against other young scientific and engineering minds. Grace Lord, Brendan Miralles and Aalia Sellar’s project came an impressive 2nd place in the international competition. Over 2020 international students from 51 countries took part in the competition.

After winning the prestigious GSK UK Young Engineers of the Year title at The Big Bang UK Young Scientists & Engineers Competition, the trio headed to China to take on other students from around the globe. Their project, entitled ‘Music Splash’, came runner up in the International CASTIC (China Adolescents Science & Technology Innovation Contest) category. Whilst on the trip, the three budding scientists received interest from a Chinese business to develop their app.

The app uses machine learning to analyse music performance and provides feedback to help the user to improve and work towards grading. The students say “it guides you to instant perfection and is like a music teacher in an app.”

Northern Ireland Student Wins GSK UK Young Scientist of the Year 2019

A student from St Mary’s College in Derry/London Derry took home the GSK UK Young Scientist of the Year 2019 at The Big Bang UK Young Scientist & Engineers Competition. Maeve Stillman’s project, which was entitled, “Investigating the Effect of Activated Charcoal on the Absorptions of Medications” saw off competition from other budding scientists and engineers around the UK and focused on how activated charcoal supplements affect the absorption of everyday or common medicines.

Speaking of her award win, Maeve Stillman told The Big Bang Competition UK: “It feels so surreal to have won! This is my third year at The Big Bang Fair and every year it’s so exciting, I would definitely recommend other young people getting involved. I’m going to use the prize money and experiences that I’ve won to help further my future in STEM.”

The team here at European Springs Ireland are extremely pleased to see our up-and-coming scientists and engineers receiving the recognition they deserve.

A-Level Top Grades Rise In Northern Ireland

Following the last month’s A-Level results day, there has been a rise in the proportion of top grades awarded to pupils in Northern Ireland, with just over 30% of students awarded A* or A grades.

There are now just under 40% of all students taking at least one STEM subject as part of their A-Levels, with a steady increase in the uptake in science, technology, engineering and maths subjects continuing. Maths once again remained the most popular A-Level subject among Northern Irish students, with more than one in 10 entries.

It’s extremely encouraging to see the next generation of students coming through college with such promising results. As experienced spring manufacturers, the team here at European Springs Ireland take great pride in ensuring we continually keep our finger on the pulse of all the latest engineering related news. Be sure to regularly check in on our blog to keep up-to-date with the latest news from around the industry.

The manufacturing industry is full of fast-paced work with plenty of progression opportunities; if you know how to work hard and focus. In this article, we are going to discuss the variety of jobs you could be earning within our sector, along with some useful tips about the best routes to achieve the career of your dreams.

Careers in the Manufacturing Sector

There are plenty of opportunities in manufacturing, though if you are looking to begin a life-long career in manufacturing, it might be important for you to work towards a job that isn’t in any danger of becoming replaced by a machine. This means that if you’re prepared to work hard, you should aim for high-skilled jobs – these are also the jobs which are going to earn you the most money, so they are a worthy goal for your time.
If you know someone who is young, still in education and interested in manufacturing, then you should encourage them to research a variety of jobs in the industry – different career paths can have vastly different educational requirements. In this blog, we will cover some roles and the kinds of qualifications needed to secure the role – this should give you some idea of how long it will take you to gather the skills before you can successfully achieve your dream job.

Engineers At Work

Before we get into the logistics of achieving your dream job in manufacturing, we need to consider the variety of roles that you can choose from:

Assembly

The assembly workers in manufacturing build products from finished pieces. This may include working with your hands, tools and machines – often with training once you have the role. You will generally be expected to have high school certificates for most roles in this group.

Examples

  • Assembler
  • Expediter
  • Material Handler
  • Tool and Die Maker
  • Warehouse Worker

Brazers and Welders

These roles require some precise technical education. Their job is generally to cut and/or join any metallic parts used in the product. You can attain these skills through high school, vocational schools, community colleges or a mix. You may also be able to find local training courses suited to your needs.

A welder’s work is all in the detail; you need to be careful when using highly dangerous equipment, and the expensive materials you’ll be using to make the product means you’ll need to keep mistakes to a minimum. You’ll need to learn to use the equipment, as well as reading blueprints and diagrams if you want to secure one of these positions for yourself.

Examples

  • Brazer
  • Welder
  • Solderer
  • Cutter

Engineers Welding

Machinists and Operators

We previously mentioned tool and die makers in the Assembly group, but sometimes, they may fall under the category of machinists and operators. This is one example of how some of these roles may cross some of the boundaries we use to generalise these roles for description.

A machinist or operator will be required to set up, maintain, and operate integral machinery. To attain one of the following positions, you will probably need on-site training or an apprenticeship, vocational school, or technical college qualification. Some roles may require further qualifications, so research the potential thoroughly.

Examples

  • Design Engineer
  • Field Service Technician
  • Aircraft Mechanic
  • Safety Technician
  • Waste Treatment Plant Operator

Spring Manufacturing

Production Manager

Working in management is where you are most likely to find the highest wages, but you will also have to stay in education for much longer if you want to improve your chances of getting into a managerial position. Most managers in manufacturing have at least a bachelor’s degree in business or industrial engineering.

Production managers are expected to ensure that general operations run smoothly and to find areas where processors could be managed with greater efficiency. They ensure that production stays on schedule as well as overseeing the hiring process for other workers.

Examples

  • Assembly Supervisor
  • Master Scheduler
  • General Manager
  • Product Marketing Analyst
  • Warehouse Manager

As spring suppliers, we are invested in the future of the manufacturing industry. We think that it’s never too late to start a bountiful career in manufacturing if you have the resolve to get there, so start now by enrolling in a local skills course or by attaining work experience with your local manufacturer.

Whatever the results are, emotions are sure to be running high. Whether you’re reading this for yourself, your friend, a sibling or a child, we’re here to help you understand why choosing a STEM subject to take to college could change lives for the better. In this article, we take a look at what you should expect during results day and what you should be thinking about next.

Students

Keeping Calm on GCSE Results Day

For all young adults and teenagers out there about to receive their GCSEs, we know that keeping calm is the last thing on your mind. You’re busy thinking about all the hard work you have put into your education over the past few years, and, most importantly, whether it has been enough.

We recognise the sacrifices you’ve made, giving up your free time, again and again, to thoroughly complete your homework, working hard to make sure you really understand the concepts that you’ll need to take with you into the exam, we understand that these aren’t just certificates and awards to you.

However, once you have taken your exams, there is little that can be done to change the outcome. What is important for you now is to keep researching what routes are open to you based on your passions and skills.

The chances are that you can guess what grades you should be expecting based on your performance in mock papers, but if you’re even slightly worried, it can help to explore your options. It’s important to remember that you aren’t going to be boxed in by your results; there are multiple routes to achieving the career of your dreams, and not everyone needs to go to university.

At GCSE, however, you might still be trying to figure what ‘the career of your dreams’ really means to you. If there are lots of subjects that you enjoy, for example, trying to reduce those subjects to three or four that you’ll take with you to A-Levels can feel like an impossible task. Whether you should prioritise your grades in a subject over your enjoyment of it isn’t a question that we can answer for you, but we can tell you about all the reasons why you should consider pursuing a STEM career.

Students Together

What is STEM?

The acronym ‘STEM’ stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. These academic disciplines are grouped because they share similar ways of working and learning, often heavily relying on mathematical formulae and sharing some theories and knowledge between the subjects within them.

The UK is currently suffering from a shortage of skilled workers in STEM careers; this means that you could be looking at earning a lot of money if you were to pursue an education in STEM. We rely on STEM learners to construct buildings, solve diseases and innovate technology; those working in STEM elevate humanity through their creations and hard work.

If you want to pursue STEM, you need to have an aptitude or a passion for basic maths and science, preferably both. If you’re pursuing STEM because you want to earn a high wage, then (like any career) you will have to learn to achieve focus and to work hard.

Students Collaborating

My Future with STEM

When you study maths and science, there are plenty of opportunities available to you. Your future with STEM doesn’t necessarily require you to have high grades, though your grades may determine which area of STEM you start with.

If you are a high-achieving student, then you are unlikely to have jobs and apprenticeships on your mind at first. Many high-achieving students in the UK go to university, and while this is the right decision for many students looking to improve their knowledge and connections in their field, you may be better served by taking an apprenticeship or work experience.

Unlike a degree, an apprenticeship will focus on perfecting those practical skills that working environments want to see on your future CV. Similarly, you can get paid during an apprenticeship, which makes it a more financially attractive prospect than university.

If you have average grades and good determination, then you may be considering the pros and cons of pursuing college and university versus starting your career. You may find academic learning more difficult than your peers, so a hands-on apprenticeship might be better for your progression. If you aren’t sure yet, the best course of action for you now is to receive your results, enrol in a college with your preferred STEM subjects and give it your best shot. How you feel during the end of your course should give you the information you need to know whether you’ll want to pursue academic STEM or start your work experience.

If your grades are low, but you have a strong work ethic, then you can work hard to elevate your grades during college or start considering your aptitudes for hands-on learning in work experience and apprenticeship courses. Consider taking extra-curricular activities and courses to bolster your skills set for future employers if you’re struggling with the academic rigour of school-learning.

European Springs Apprentices

Remember that not all pupils are well-represented by the GCSE examination system, your grades, successes or failures won’t define you as a person. What you need to do now is think carefully about the options available to you and where you would like to be in two-to-five years. We’ve had plenty of apprentices pass through our doors, trying to gain a solid understanding of what is expected from spring manufacturers in the UK.

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