PResidents ’ View
With the QES showing a slowdown in the pace of growth , how is the global economy impacting on manufacturers ? your voice IS heard
Two nationally funded programmes that gave support to manufacturers were discontinued at the end of March . Manufacturing is important to our part of the country , which is not always recognised outside the region . Through its staff , partnerships and manufacturing alliances , the Chamber continues to support and signpost companies to help them thrive and remain competitive , not just locally but globally too .
Finding new business is something that most of our members want . In the last quarter we helped build connections between local businesses and the buyers responsible for the first stage of HS2 and we are working with Heathrow Airport on a second event to meet their suppliers . Making new connections is vital and in this issue you ’ ll find some good examples of business being done across West , North and East Yorkshire .
Thank you to the 100 companies involved with the Raising the Bar initiative . Have a look at the website www . raising-the-bar . org . uk for some great examples of the work businesses and their staff of all sizes and sectors have been doing . Why not follow their example , get involved and join us for a celebration on 10 November 2016 ?
Members have been extremely active in the last quarter through the Leadership Groups , working groups and meetings with key decisionmakers . You can be sure that the Prime Minister , the Chair and Director General of HS2 and the Chair of HS3 and the Department for Innovation and Skills are all hearing your voice .
Sandy Needham Chief Executive West & North Yorkshire Chamber
Andy Caton Yorkshire Building Society
Gerald Jennings GR Jennings Properties Ltd
Ed Everard Saville Audio Visual
Bradford Chamber President The Chamber ’ s QES has once again proved to be an accurate predictor of the official UK growth figures . The recent estimate for UK GDP in the first quarter of the year closely mirrors the results of the survey . Whilst growth in the UK remains in positive territory , it continues to be the service sector that has outweighed declines in construction and production . Within the production segment , manufacturing posted a fall of 0.4 % - taking the cumulative decline over the past year to 1.3 %.
Headwinds from the slowdown in China plus Brexitdriven uncertainties are driving the challenging global backdrop for exporters and risk undermining efforts to create a more balanced economy .
Leeds Chamber President “ Certainty , Clarity and Confidence ,” that is what business needs if it is to invest , grow and continue creating jobs and prosperity in the region . At the time of writing we are approaching the biggest decision in a generation as to whether we remain in or leave the European Union and this is clearly influencing investment decisions .
A healthy manufacturing base remains critical to the wellbeing of the UK economy in key areas such as innovation , exports and productivity . The government must remain focused on the task of boosting economic growth . We need more infrastructure investment and support for our businesses to create wealth and drive the economy forward . Leeds ’ manufacturers reported a slowing in the pace of investment in the first quarter of 2016 , although it should be noted that more report growth than otherwise .
Distractions aside , it is pleasing to hear from members who are taking their products overseas , with Leeds-based Pennine Environmental one of the latest recipients of support from Chamber International ’ s Export Office service as they delivered a complete new chilling plant to the USA . Made in Leeds is still a brand we should be proud of .
York & North Yorkshire Chamber President There is little doubt that the York and North Yorkshire economy was immune from the fortunes of the global economy during 2015 and with nearly 2,000 manufacturers across our region , a number of whom are in international supply chains , this was borne out in Chamber reports during the year .
However at the end of Q1 , 2016 we report good growth in export sales from companies across our region . The recent findings within the Chamber ’ s QES showed York and North Yorkshire significantly outperforming the rest of the region on exports . With the EU referendum having a distracting influence on company decision making , the Chamber will be making a strong call that Government get back to the business of running the country and focus on issues which have been side-lined from June 24th .
2 WELCOME ChamberPlus SUMMER 2016