Industrial Diaries
Analysis, commentary, and practical intelligence for professionals across manufacturing, aerospace, logistics, and beyond.
When a Fortune 500 company puts $50 million into UK manufacturing, it sends a clear signal about faith in British industry. Cummins Inc., the American power technology giant, announced this major UK manufacturing investment in its Daventry plant in Northamptonshire. The news came at the UK Government's first Regional Investment Summit in October 2025.
7 min read
The story around UK manufacturing has been one of challenges: high energy costs, supply chain problems, and post-Brexit trade friction. Yet there's a story of resilience that deserves more attention.
6 min read
For years, UK manufacturers have watched skilled workers retire faster than they can replace them. Nearly 20% of the engineering workforce will leave by the end of 2026. Apprenticeship starts among young people have dropped by almost 40% since 2015. The skills crisis has moved from worry to emergency.
8 min read
On 4 February 2026, the UK Government published its first Advanced Nuclear Framework UK policy document. This creates a clear pathway for private investment in small modular reactors (SMRs), advanced modular reactors (AMRs), and micro modular reactors (MMRs). For UK manufacturers, this represents one of the most significant industrial opportunities in a generation.
6 min read
The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded a £453.5 million contract to manufacture advanced radar systems for Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets, securing 1,300 highly skilled manufacturing jobs across three regions over the next decade.
7 min read
When Mike Bagshaw started mixing flavours at his kitchen table in Newbury back in 2009, he could not have predicted what would come next. Sixteen years later, his company is investing £10 million in one of the UK's largest natural flavour manufacturing facilities. International Taste Solutions (I.T.S) announced this month it is acquiring an 8.2-acre industrial site near Hungerford. The new site will deliver 20 times more production capacity than its current operations.
6 min read
The UK defence sector has long faced a frustrating paradox. Billions of pounds go into cutting-edge research, yet too few technologies make it past the prototype stage. This week, BAE Systems launched a programme that could change that equation.
6 min read
The numbers are in, and they tell a compelling story. According to the latest ADS aerospace report, 1,411 commercial aircraft were delivered globally in 2025. This marks a 25% increase on the previous year and the highest annual total since 2018. For UK aerospace manufacturing businesses embedded in global supply chains, these aircraft deliveries 2025 figures represent both a major opportunity and a serious operational challenge.
6 min read
On 4 February 2026, the UK signed a landmark deal with the United States on critical minerals. This happened just hours before ministers from over 50 countries met in Washington for the first Critical Minerals Ministerial. The timing was no accident. After years of watching China tighten its grip on raw materials that power everything from electric vehicles to fighter jets, Western nations are finally fighting back.
7 min read
The UK manufacturing sector has posted its strongest UK manufacturing PMI reading in 18 months. The S&P Global Manufacturing PMI surged to 51.8 in January 2026. This marks a key milestone as export orders returned to growth for the first time since 2022. The rise from 50.6 in December signals renewed confidence across Britain's industrial base. After years of tough conditions, the sector has finally turned a corner.
7 min read
The collapse of UK EU defence cooperation talks in November 2025 felt like a decisive full stop. The government had rejected participation in the €150 billion Security Action for Europe (SAFE) fund. Value-for-money concerns drove the decision after negotiators failed to bridge a vast gap between what Brussels wanted and what Westminster would pay.
8 min read
The Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) is the most significant UK aerospace manufacturing project since Eurofighter Typhoon. With an estimated cost of $76 billion (roughly £60 billion), this sixth-generation fighter jet programme brings together the UK, Japan, and Italy. The goal: build the world's most advanced combat aircraft by 2035.
6 min read
The Reality Behind the Closure: More Than Just Numbers
6 min read
The tariff storm that swept through global trade in 2025 has left an indelible mark on British manufacturing. For UK SMEs, the impact extends far beyond headline rates: it has fundamentally reshaped export strategies, supply chain decisions, and growth trajectories.
9 min read
Prime Minister Keir Starmer's four-day visit to China in late January 2026 marked the first such trip by a British leader in eight years. For UK manufacturers, the deals struck in Beijing signal both immediate opportunities and longer-term strategic questions about how Britain positions itself between its two largest trading partners.
7 min read
The UK's New Medium Helicopter (NMH) programme, worth £1 billion, has become a critical flashpoint for the nation's defence industrial policy. With Leonardo's Yeovil facility now the sole remaining bidder after Airbus Helicopters and Lockheed Martin withdrew in August 2024, procurement delays are threatening not just 3,000 direct manufacturing jobs but the entire future of UK sovereign helicopter capability.
9 min read
The State of UK Vehicle Manufacturing: What the Numbers Really Tell Us
9 min read
Why UK Manufacturers Are Turning to On-Site Generation
10 min read
UK Manufacturing's New Economic Reality: Nine Months of Real-World Impact
11 min read
The British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS) represents the most significant energy cost relief programme for UK manufacturers since the Energy Intensive Industries (EII) exemption launched over a decade ago. With consultation ongoing until 19 January 2026 and the scheme launching in April 2027, now is the time for manufacturing directors and operations managers to assess their eligibility.
7 min read
The UK government has launched its most ambitious defence innovation initiative to date, with the creation of UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) backed by a ringfenced annual budget of £400 million. This represents a fundamental shift in how the Ministry of Defence (MOD) approaches innovation, creating unprecedented opportunities for UK manufacturers, startups, and SMEs to access lucrative defence contracts through streamlined procurement processes.
7 min read
Why EU Rules of Origin Matter for Every UK Manufacturer
9 min read
The numbers landing on UK manufacturing directors' desks this January tell a story that is difficult to ignore. Vehicle production has fallen to a 73-year low. Make UK warns that competitiveness warning lights are "flashing red". Industrial electricity prices sit 125% above the EU median. And the employer National Insurance hike that took effect in April 2025 continues to compound already stretched wage bills.
8 min read
Delta Air Lines has placed a major order for 62 Rolls-Royce Trent engines to power 31 new Airbus widebody aircraft, with deliveries from 2029. It is the latest signal that UK aerospace manufacturing is in a position of genuine strength, but a critical decision on UltraFan could determine whether that advantage endures.
8 min read
Staying informed about UK manufacturing requires knowing where to look. Here is a curated guide to the most reliable and useful sources of industrial news and intelligence.
5 min read
After years of disruption, industrial supply chains are entering a new era defined by proximity, transparency, and digital integration. Here is what 2026 holds.
6 min read
The industrial sector generates trillions in economic value, yet the professionals who drive it are still piecing together their information from a patchwork of disconnected sources.
6 min read