It was recently reported that UK manufacturing suffered its sharpest contraction in six years; a sobering thought, particularly given the current political uncertainty.
UK manufacturing is critical for delivering long-term economic growth. It’s also been a source of pride, not just for UK manufacturers but also UK citizens who, for many years, have been proud to be aligned with a country internationally renowned for quality and craftsmanship.
Made in Britain is still a mark of quality. However, it’s one that is increasingly resonating internationally and, it would seem, losing credence with a UK audience.
For instance, international demand for Egbert Taylor’s bins has never been so high and our export division continues to grow 63 per cent year on year. Yet we’re noticing a growing resistance from UK contractors to purchase British made bins as, in our opinion, they increasingly lean towards cost over quality when it comes to container procurement – a shift that can only be addressed by cheaper imports from countries such as China.
Of course, Chinese imports are ubiquitous and in many cases, they meet a demand that UK companies alone cannot; however, from a waste collection perspective, buying cheaper bins risks short-term gains in return for long-term pain; the ‘buy cheap, buy twice’ motto is relevant here.
Economy
UK manufacturing has never been more important to the economy. Taylor bins, for example, continue to be handcrafted using the highest-grade materials sourced within the UK – something we’ve been doing since 1962.
By buying British, you’re not only buying quality and buying responsibly, but you’re also keeping UK manufacturing alive, and that’s surely a strategy for success.
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