Manufacturing Today Issue - 219 December 2023 | Page 86

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contract manufacturing . It is these specialist capabilities alongside our skills and equipment that enable us to service the specific requirements of customers that other , more generic contract manufacturers couldn ’ t meet .”
Strengthening capabilities
Much of the new team ’ s focus has centered around investment , with a goal to increase both efficiency and productivity . “ Most of our investments have seen us upgrade our technology to ensure that we have the latest and most flexible capabilities ,” John states . “ It also means that we maintain the optimal capacity and capabilities to support a highly flexible low-volume , highmix business model that is typical of the UK manufacturing industry . Then , of course , we must invest in optimization to continuously upgrade new and existing technology .
“ Our growth in recent years has transformed us into the largest independent EMS company in Scotland , however we ’ re not the largest in the UK . As a competitive company that is currently based at a single site , we ’ re continually looking into opportunities to expand to strengthen our capabilities and expand our geographical coverage ,” he explains .
As a UK manufacturer , the discussion inevitably turns to the challenges of the last few years and how geopolitical issues have impacted the manufacturing industry in the UK . “ The UK market is a little bit polarized at the moment ; and as a result of manufacturing decline and investment over the last few decades , there is currently a lack of quality capacity in the manufacturing sector ,” he argues . “ However , we ’ ve definitely seen a shift away from the automatic outsourcing of manufacturing to low-cost countries as
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