Why local manufacturing can be a launchpad for global growth: Chris Storer
When businesses talk about global growth, the conversation often starts with market access, export opportunities and geographic reach.
But for specialist businesses looking beyond the UK, the foundations for that growth are often built much closer to home.
Local manufacturing is sometimes viewed as a limitation when businesses think about international expansion. There can be an assumption that growing globally means moving production elsewhere, closer to larger markets or lower-cost manufacturing locations.
In reality, a strong local manufacturing base can provide the expertise, control and confidence businesses need to take the next step.
Yorkshire has a long history of manufacturing, with generations of businesses building specialist skills and technical expertise across a wide range of industries.
That industrial heritage is still relevant today. The products being developed and manufactured may have changed, but the importance of skilled people, practical knowledge and the ability to produce consistently at scale remains the same.
For specialist manufacturers, having those capabilities close to home can be a significant advantage, creating closer collaboration and allowing issues to be addressed more quickly.
It also gives businesses a better understanding of what is required to move from a successful product in development to something that can be manufactured reliably as demand grows.
That becomes increasingly important when a business is preparing to enter new markets. International growth brings grater expectations around quality, consistency and supply, and businesses need confidence that their manufacturing capability can keep pace. The foundations must be right before a product can be scaled successfully, and having the right expertise locally can help businesses build those foundations before they take their products further afield.
Being rooted in Yorkshire also offers practical advantages for international growth, with strong road links and proximity to major ports and airports helping businesses move products efficiently into UK and overseas markets.
This is why I believe local manufacturing and global ambition should not be seen as opposing ideas. A business can remain firmly rooted in Yorkshire while developing products and building partnerships that take it into markets around the world.
The North of England has an opportunity to build on its manufacturing heritage by developing and retaining the specialist skills that businesses need to grow. That means recognising the value of experienced people and the knowledge they build over time, as well as creating the conditions for that expertise to remain in the region.
Around 90 per cent of our employees live within 15 minutes of their workplace, demonstrating just how closely specialist manufacturing capability can be connected to the communities around it.
For SMEs, access to experienced manufacturing partners can provide a route to scale without requiring them to build every capability themselves. This allows them to focus on developing products and reaching new customers, with confidence in the production capability and people behind them.
Ultimately, global growth does not have to begin with a move away from home. For many specialist businesses, it begins with having the right capabilities in place locally and the confidence that those capabilities can support the journey ahead.
Yorkshire has a strong manufacturing heritage, but its value is not simply something to look back on. By continuing to invest in skills, expertise and specialist production, the region can help businesses develop products that are built here, scaled here and ultimately taken to customers around the world.
Chris Storer is General Manager at Huddersfield-based JT Grosvenor