Manufacturing awards

The EEF has launched a national awards series designed to reward UK manufacturers for innovation, enterprise, environmental performance and training.

According to the EEF, the UK is the world’s sixth largest manufacturing base, employing three million people to create 50 per cent of UK exports. The sector also accounts for 75 per cent of business-funded research and development.

The awards have been designed to encourage further growth in the sector and give special recognition to those companies who have developed their business models based on low-carbon products and services.

Gilbert Toppin, EEF’s chief executive, said: ‘With the UK’s services economy in disarray, it's time for the manufacturing industry to get the recognition it deserves as the UK’s true engine of economic growth and a hot bed of innovative thinking.

‘Too many people have a negative view of manufacturing, which is out of date. We’ll show them how wrong they are by drawing the country’s attention to those businesses that are breaking down barriers, reinventing the rules and reaching out for new opportunities to create a manufacturing industry this country can be proud of.’