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Skip to ContentBen Boswell, World Wide Technology's director of UK and Ireland, comments on the importance of the UK's investment in high-tech manufacturing. Read full article
Posted by Med-Tech Innovation on July 12, 2017:
New productivity statistics from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) show that the manufacturing sector improved its output per hour in the first quarter of this year.
This contrasts with a slump in service sector productivity over the same period.
The figures, which show a 0.2 percent improvement, do not spell an end to concern around productivity, which still lags behind other G7 nations.
The competitiveness of UK industrial firms is likely to be a key talking point as the nation seeks new markets on the global stage. Productivity has long posed a challenge for the UK's manufacturing industry and remains a hot issue, with commentators suggesting a range of solutions to retain a competitive edge.
Ben Boswell, VP Europe at World Wide Technology said: "The UK's most productive sectors are those which develop highly refined products in the pharmaceutical, aerospace, automotive and technology industries.
"These sectors require both a highly skilled workforce and the factory infrastructure to remain competitive on a global playing field. Technological innovation within the factory will likely be the most important driver of change in the future manufacturing sector. Additive manufacturing, connected robots and increased virtualisation will become the standard in producing better goods more efficiently."