Manufacturing in the North East
The North
East was once one of the industrial powerhouses of the world. Names such as
Stephenson, Parsons, Swan, Reyrolle and Armstrong were just a few of those that
drove the region to its pinnacle of the coal, rail, shipbuilding, engineering,
electrical and other industries. After years of steady decline, the 1970s and
1980s saw the rapid shrinkage and closure of many of these, the effects of
which we still being felt. Unfortunately, today the region sits near the bottom
of the league tables on many of the national indicators of wellbeing such as
poverty, employment, health, attainment, GDP per capita and business density.
But in 2024,
the region stands at the threshold of a new era of progress. Opportunities in
renewables and net-zero, electric vehicles, space, defence, and many other
advanced and high-value sectors of the 21st century industrial
economy are opening up, supported by our strong and growing universities and
our new North East Combined Authority. There is no doubt that the cornerstone
of wider opportunity, prosperity and progress will be anchored in the success of
our industrial sector.
On the 17th September,
Northumbria University and Newcastle Business School will be hosting an evening
event aimed at informing and developing the debate around our future regional
industrial policy.
The first part of the evening
will be a public lecture “The future of Manufacturing in the UK and its
Regions”. The talk will explore the regional, national and global
structure of manufacturing today and in the future, and will place the UK and
the North East within this wider context, giving some indicators of how regions
have leveraged assets old and new to position themselves for success. Speakers
will include the current head of the Institute for Manufacturing at the
University of Cambridge, Professor Tim Minshall, and the founder of the
Institute, Professor Sir Michael Gregory. Their vast international experience
will help us draw out the key issues for us to address in our strategic
thinking.
Agenda
5:30 reception - main foyer
6:30
lecture
7:30
Q&A/discussion
7:45
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Register below for the event:
