Plymouth had leapt into the list of the 海角视频鈥檚 10 most important manufacturing powerhouses for the first time.
The city has been ranked at number nine for cities with the highest concentration of people working in manufacturing. Britain鈥檚 Ocean City is not only the largest manufacturing base in the South of England, but., but cracking the top 10, after previously being ranked at 12 and 13, it is now recognised as a nationally important centre too.
It ranks behind table topper Burnley, and then Derby, Telford, Sunderland, Hull, Blackburn, Barnsley and Huddersfield, and ahead of 10th placed Mansfield.
South West manufacturing news
The listing comes from the recently published Centre for Cities Outlook Report for 2022, which uses Office for National Statistics (ONS) data.
The table is compiled of cities with the highest share of people working in manufacturing, with Plymouth, home of large and nationally significant manufacturers such as Babcock International Ltd and Princess Yachts, boasting more than 13%.
That is ahead of Portsmouth鈥檚 9% and Swindon, with just more than 8%, in the South of England. Bristol is only the 17% ranked city in the South, with just over 6% of its population working in factories, and Exeter is at number 21, with only about 3%.
Plymouth Manufacturers鈥 Group (PMG) said the city鈥檚 economy has become increasingly reliant on manufacturing and engineering for its success.
It said that for many years Plymouth has been recognised as being the 鈥渕anufacturing and engineering powerhouse of the South鈥, and added: 鈥淭hat remains true, but its inclusion in the top ten listing in the 海角视频 is new鈥.
With 13.28% of Plymouth鈥檚 workforce employed in manufacturing this compares with the national average which is almost half as much at 7.69%.
PMG stressed that whilst it is important to note that the figures were captured during the first year of the pandemic, Plymouth鈥檚 overall manufacturing employment figures have remained largely resilient throughout, with some firms only temporarily utilising the furlough scheme for a relatively short period of time.
The PMG also said that while Plymouth still relies heavily on Babcock International鈥檚 operation at Devonport Royal Dockyard for these numbers, there is 鈥渕uch more to manufacturing and engineering in Plymouth beyond the Dockyard walls鈥.
It stressed that Princess Yachts now employs more than 3,000 personnel and the industrial estates to the north of the city remain home to a significant number of foreign direct investors from across North America; Europe and the Far East. In fact, more than two-thirds of Plymouth鈥檚 largest manufacturers are overseas owned.
Whilst maritime related industries are the city鈥檚 prime source of competitive advantage, Plymouth has manufacturers whose products serve a diverse range of markets, some of which are niche including: micro LEDs; luxury mattresses; medical products; aerospace and military components; infrastructure for the IT sector; automotive parts and confectionery. The city also has a healthy supply chain 鈥 firms that serve the larger companies 鈥 both locally and further afield.
Plymouth鈥檚 manufacturers contribute significantly to the wealth created in the city. The latest figures reveal manufacturing accounts for 17.5% of the City鈥檚 GVA (gross value added). This is particularly impressive because, nationally, manufacturing barely contributes 10% to the country鈥檚 total economy.
How to contact William Telford and Business Live
Business Live's South West Business Reporter is William Telford. William has more than a decade's experience reporting on the business scene in Plymouth and the South West. He is based in Plymouth but covers the entire region.
To contact William: Email: william.telford@reachplc.com - Phone: 01752 293116 - Mob: 07584 594052 - Twitter: - LinkedIn: - Facebook:
Stay in touch: BusinessLive newsletters have been re-designed to make them even better. We send morning bulletins straight to your inbox on the latest news, views and opinion in the South West. Get our breaking news alerts and weekly sector reviews too. Sign up now - it's free and it only takes a minute. To sign up for Business Live's daily newsletters click .
And visit the Business Live South West LinkedIn page
Steve Gerry, secretary to the PMG, said: 鈥淧lymouth is now for the first time, in modern history at least, a top 10 海角视频 manufacturing City. In previous years we鈥檝e always hovered outside around 12 or 13. And we still maintain our position as the leading city in the whole of the South of England.鈥
He added: 鈥淚 remember when I first got involved in economic development 25 years ago, commentators used to say that Plymouth was 鈥榣ike a northern city that happened to be on the south coast鈥. These figures still bear that out with other members of the top ten for manufacturing being the likes of Sunderland; Blackburn and Burnley. Whilst that may be true, I know where I would rather live.鈥
