The UK has entered week four of lock down with foreign secretary Dominic Raab indicating that restrictions are unlikely to be lifted until Covid-19 peaks and abates.
Once it does, the full extent of Covid-19’s impact on society and the economy will become clearer, but until that time manufacturers will continue collaborations aimed at equipping the NHS with equipment needed to treat patients.
One certainty is that Covid-19 has exposed the lack of supply chain resilience in a globalised economy, another, already noted, are the many pinch points and strengths of the UK’s different sectors.
But what long-term impact will this have on the manufacturing sector once Covid-19 is no longer the threat that it is today.
MORE ON THE ENGINEERING RESPONSE TO COVID-19 HERE
COMMENT: WHY COVID-19 COULD BE A CATALYST FOR CHANGE
For 40 per cent of respondents to last week’s poll, the UK will have a stronger domestic supply chain after Covid-19, followed by just over a quarter (26 per cent) who agree that there will be increased adoption of automation and digital tools.
Twenty-eight per cent of the vote was split equally between those who think there will be a more nimble approach to design and manufacturing, and an enhanced climate of collaboration.
Only six per cent of respondents thought the crisis would improve the public’s perception of engineering.
In the comments that followed, Andy Sandford said: “Hearing pretty amazing tales of companies getting things done in days that would have taken months. From what I have been seeing subcontractors and their suppliers have really stepped up to the mark.”
Darren Marson, Managing Director For Intec Laser Services added: “Perhaps the backroom support provided by the manufacturing sector in order to assist the hard working, brave and dedicated NHS staff will now go some way to shine a light on what we [engineers] have to offer. WWII was won by the factories of the UK, and so will Covid-19 be defeated in a similar way……let’s hope one of the changes evident on the other side of Covid is a new found respect for all those hard working, skilled engineering & manufacturing staff, and the companies they serve.”
“Covid 19 will prove a catalyst,” suggested Bill Church. “It will accelerate changes already happening on a number of fronts: bringing manufacturing back to the UK, increasing online business and shopping, home working, video conferencing and much more.”
“Let’s hope things do change, but as a cynic I cannot help but think things will return to their old ways when the dust settles,” said Another Steve. “We have an economic environment that is driven by the unsustainable belief that profits can keep on increasing, this has just resulted in lack of investment and poorer work conditions on the shop floor.”
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Actually wanted an ‘all of the above’ option. Hearing pretty amazing tales of companies getting things done in days that would have taken months. From what I have been seeing subcontractors and their suppliers have really stepped up to the mark.
For far too long Engineering & Manufacturing has been overlooked as a vital part of the UK’s genetic make-up, service & financial industries have been prioirtised over the backbone of the UK’s real DNA and it’s way overdue that Engineering & Manufacturing, and all those skilled personnel within the sector are recognised for what they have to offer and how much they contribute. Perhaps the backroom support provided by the manufacturing sector in order to assist the hard working , brave and dedicated NHS staff will now go some way to shine a light on what we have to offer. WWII was won by the factories of the UK, and so will Covid-19 be defeated in a similar way……let’s hope one of the changes evident on the other side of Covid is a new found respect for all those hard working, skilled engineering & manufacturing staff, and the companies they serve
None of the above. This disaster will push the world economy into a major recession. (We were due one soon anyway, just different to have the trigger something natural rather than artificial.) During a recession, firms tend to stifle innovation since it costs money.
The public outpouring of appreciation of health workers shows how much more doctors and nurses are valued compared to engineers.
Covid 19 will prove a catalyst. It will accelerate changes already happening on a number of fronts: bringing manufacturing back to the UK, increasing online business and shopping, home working, video conferencing and much more.
Our pub is closed so we have set up a virtual Royal Oak. We meet at 18:00 to chew the fat for an hour over a glass of beer or so.
The catalyst itself is horrible, the long term result probably not so.
We must take the opportunity to hammer home the engineering content of our hospitals which has contributed so much to the advances of medical science. I jokingly pointed out a few years ago to a friend, who was a Professor at Leeds Teaching Hospital, that was it not for the advances made in the field of medical instrumentation they would still be using leaches!
Not only that but the recent collaborative efforts of the Engineering Industry in developing and producing much needed equipment and material for the present outbreak must to driven home to those who think that an Engineer is the bloke who fixes their washing machine (however skilled he may be in his limited field).
Perhaps the shock administered to the Civil Service will cause a speed up in their reaction time as well.
It could go either way. I heard one commenatator say if individual companies just try to pay of the debt they’ve incurred (a rational response for that one company) instead of investing it could cause a deep recession, so called ” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradox_of_thrift ”
On the other hand there has been talk of government-backed write-offs for debt and this could stimulate a sharp bounce back, for what are fundamentally healthy businesses
Option 6: No change.
Let’s hope things do change, but as a cynic I cannot help but think things will return to their old ways when the dust settles. We have an economic environment that is driven by the unsustainable belief that profits can keep on increasing, this has just resulted in lack of investment and poorer work conditions on the shop floor.
During this crisis people have made great sacrifices to help others whether through personal or professional relationships, and a lot of the brilliants efforts can be fairly termed as ‘charity’, ie. doing something for nothing albeit for the common good. Will this continue after we’re through the worst ? Will people realise that a lot of the mess we have been in is because of explicit past choices made by government and industry to maximise profits over investment ?
Will UK Industry change and now invest more, in staff and their businesses ? Will the government and industry change to ensure new projects are costed properly and fully ?
I hope I’m wrong because we have a big opportunity to change for the better.
It is obvious, from this situation we find ourselves in, putting manufacturing and Engineering design off-shore has left this country vulnerable. It is the same with our Utilities, we are dependent of off-shore owned companies. This is not something the UK needs for its future. A more positive aspect of this LOCKDOWN is how people have adapted and adopted Technology to stay in touch with friends and relatives, and enhanced their lives by having virtual party’s and quiz nights.
The follies of bare minimum stock levels and just in time suppliers from overseas are being exposed! We need to have the capability to produce and supply all these things from our own resources where possible. The drive to export this base manufacturing level in order to minimise staff costs is a disaster! Contingency reserves are also a must! We need to return to being a manufacturing economy not one based on financial speculators.
I would have spent the £5 million Boris’s letter will cost on switching a UK paper plant to making masks.
I hope the Government will finally cut business rates on UK industrial sites to the European average, rather than being 2 to 3 times higher, as they are now.
The old saying “that when the tide goes out you see who is swimming naked”. The heavily indebted firms with serious problems are the naked. They will fail in this lockdown. As it goes on, those in thongs (some debt, some problems) will be the next to go down. After that, those in speedos (little debt, few problems) will be next to fail. The crunch is at eight weeks of lockdown, when those in trunks (no debt to speak of, reasonable reserves) start to fail. We need to lift the lockdown, at least in part, before then.
JohnHartley – great analogy !
It makes me wonder when many of the small innovative UK engineering companies go under, who will be left ‘in the bathing huts’ to clean up ? Will we see the big (foreign) multinationals moving in to take over what’s left of the independent UK engineering sector ?
I hope that there will be a recognition that remote working is quite do-able, and easy, and that other collaboration technologies will be become more widespread in use. Yes more sophisticated technologies might be required but the shared desktop and video meetings technologies should give a hint of what can be done.
Sadly I suspect that many managers and politicians/civil servants will see only the problems and not the opportunities; let us hope that the minority will prevail against them.
The importance of a domestic supply chain might be appreciated (e.g. no good if can design vaccine but cannot make enough) ; the outsourcing of knowledge on manufacturing (and the appreciation of its value) needs to be appreciated. (And, of course, other countries, such as Japan, realise this – which is why they are wanting to make their own advanced fighter plane).
Will The Engineer be running articles on (inter-company and startup) collaboration technologies – and their (equally important) applications?
COVID-19 has truly exposed our reliance on international supply routes, and with Brexit hovering at the end of the year, which will challenge this and our thoughts of ourselves, I hope we will see some sense from the politicians. I hope that this sense will include a better appreciation of engineering and it’s need for robust, local suppliers who have access to necessary materials and skills to ensure that services like the NHS and all other key workers are not found wanting again.
Companies are reluctant to bring engineering into the 21st century. I can understand why there is a shortage of engineers . When every other industry has shut we continue , no real recognition , hopefully things will improve… but I doubt it will .
I am not an engineer but it is blatantly obvious what needs to be done and it shouldn’t be reglobalisation. We need to increase our domestic manufacturing and dispense with our overseas reliance. We need to market the ‘made in the UK label and use covid to promote this. Moreover, we need to do a far better job of properly teaching our children. I have a son of 10 whose primary school teaches NOTHING in the sciences and he’s been telling me he wants to be an engineer for years. It’s all in the education and catching their enthusiasm at primary. What are you doing?