Government must seize chance to 'reindustrialise the nation' in volatile world, say South Yorkshire manufacturing bosses

He said 20 years of policy instability – with 14 different business secretaries – has left British manufacturing exposed to high energy costs and insecure supply chains.

Mr Rodrigo said the need to increase defence spending amid growing international threats presented an opportunity to “re-industrialise the nation” and create new highly skilled, well-paid jobs in places like South Yorkshire.

Mr Rodrigo is the head of the Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire, a trade guild representing 255 companies with combined revenues of £2 billion and tens of thousands of employees in South Yorkshire, and a senior vice president at stainless steel producer Outokumpu.

He said that with the right backing, the manufacturing sector has huge potential.

“We can compete with anyone in the world. We have the knowledge capability and track record to make it work. We can help with this and put our money where our mouth is.”

Senior Warden Keith Jackson will deliver a keynote speech at next week’s Cutlers’ Feast demanding radical action to boost manufacturing's contribution to GDP from under 10 per cent to 15 per cent, potentially injecting £160 billion into the economy.

Writing in The Yorkshire Post today, Professor Jackson said “it is time for Britain to act like a manufacturing superpower again” through a fully-funded and long-term industrial strategy.

He said: “British manufacturing faces serious headwinds. The Employment Rights Bill, though well-meaning, risks reducing flexibility and forcing tough choices between jobs, investment, and growth. We must retain UK steelmaking, transition to hydrogen over coal and safeguard British Steel in Scunthorpe, a national asset, a defence necessity, a pillar of resilience. If we can’t protect steel, we can’t protect sovereignty.

“Geopolitical uncertainty is reshaping trade and investment. Yet manufacturers remain resilient: 62 per cent believe 2025’s opportunities still outweigh risks.

“We must challenge the myth that manufacturing is a relic. It’s the engine of tomorrow’s economy. It generates £217bn in output, supports 2.6 million direct jobs and another 2.6 million in supply chains, pays 10 per cent above the national average, and drives nearly half of the UK’s research and development activity. We’re the world’s 12th largest manufacturing economy, but we should be climbing, not slipping."

He said the Government must look to “level the playing field” on industrial energy costs which are 50 per cent higher than Europe and double those of the US, as well as reforming procurement processes to prioritise the use of UK-made steel in strategic projects and improve skills training.

"A country able to make what it needs can defend itself, feed itself, and lead in a volatile world.”

The Government is expected to publish its Industrial Strategy next month.

A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said: “Economic growth is the cornerstone of this Government’s Plan for Change, which is why our modern Industrial Strategy will target the most promising sectors for the UK’s future prosperity, including advanced manufacturing.

“We will focus on tackling barriers to growth and creating the right conditions for increased investment, to ensure a lasting positive impact in communities across the UK, including South Yorkshire.”