SCOTTISH MANUFACTURING IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Key decision makers and 400 business leaders are coming together to celebrate Scottish manufacturing this summer in the major manufacturing event of Scotland’s business calendar. The conference takes place against a background of improving activity across the sector.
Manufacturing across the UK remained robust in March and overall demand continued to rise, with total orders improving. However, output growth and export orders eased on last month, according to the latest CBI Industrial Trends Survey.
The survey of 368 manufacturers found that total order books improved slightly again in the three months to March. This strength was broad based, with above-average results in 14 out of 17 sectors. Export orders fell back, but remained above average in 11 out of 17 sectors.
Output growth is expected to edge up over the next three months, albeit at a slower pace than predicted in January and February.
The Scottish Manufacturing Conference (organised by Scottish Enterprise’s manufacturing arm, the Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service (SMAS) and supported by Bank of Scotland)) is being held at the Dunblane Hydro on Thursday 12 June.
It has been designed to showcase the success that can be achieved by businesses across the spectrum of sizes and sectors involved in manufacturing.
Speakers include industrialists and manufacturers in Scotland and beyond sharing their stories on success. It’s sure to be an inspirational event.
Focused on how manufacturing businesses can make a difference to their bottom line through developing their supply chains, culture, people, leadership and operational excellence, the event will showcase some of the most successful manufacturers and producers in Scotland.
Those present will include
- John Swinney MSP - Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth
- Dennis Breugelmans (Wind Towers)
- Jim McColl (Clyde Blowers)
- Will Butler-Adams (Brompton Bicycles Ltd)
- Patrick Mroczak (Aimia Foods)
- Barry Munro (Wiseman Dairies)
- John Reid (Michelin)
- Sarah Jardine (Optos)
- Ken Moran (Guala Closures)
- Steven Clark (BAE Naval Ships)
- Jane Mudd of Garth Associates & Peter Hill from CFM Consultancy
There is also an optional pre-conference dinner on the evening of the June 11, presenting great networking opportunities and a chance to be entertained by Colin Mcleod ‘one of the greatest thought readers of all time’
Nick Shields (Director) SMAS said: “At a time when we are seeing economic optimism, increased output and upwardly revised GDP, this conference is an ideal opportunity for us to celebrate the contribution made to the economy by Scotland’s manufacturers.
However, while Scottish manufacturing has undoubtedly gained momentum, leading the way in exports, there are still issues that we must address to continue to drive growth. There are still too few Scottish firms operating in too few global markets. We must go further than just exporting, we must become truly international.”
Tickets are priced at £200+VAT with an optional extra £50 to attend the gala dinner. There is a discount for additional delegates from the same company and an early bird offer for bookings made before April 10 (discount code: YZG20637).
For further information, contact Lyndsey Morrison on 0845 002 0090.
To book your ticket, please go to: www.scottishmasconference.co.uk
POLL TESTS SMALL BUSINESS VIEW ON INDEPENDENCE
Ruth McKay
Yesterday BBC Scotland reported on their website that 90 per cent of small business owners in Scotland have already decided how they will vote in the referendum. Small business network Ingenious Britain surveyed about 1,000 small business owners in Scotland found that 48 per cent believed independence would be a negative step for their firm, 37 per cent said leaving the UK would be a positive move, while 10 per cent said it would have no impact.
Having spoken to a number of colleagues and business owners all over Scotland, I have found that the Scottish referendum is a polarising topic of conversation. Certainly the majority of small business owners I speak to have indeed already made up their mind in terms of how they are going to vote.
Those voting to stay in the union see it as a straight forward business and economic decision for them. They do not feel that independence offers enough guarantees or benefits for them or their business and they will therefore vote to stay as part of the union.
Alternatively, those business owners who are pro-independence in my experience are doing it for emotional and personal reasons as opposed to a belief that independence would be beneficial for their business.
As a business owner myself I have not seen any evidence or strategy from Alex Salmond that details why independence would be beneficial to small businesses. However as a growing business in Scotland I already enjoy the benefits of being able to brand myself, or my clients as either British or Scottish which in industries such as food and drink have a significant impact.
We already enjoy the benefits of having access to my own local Scottish market of approximately 5 million customers as well as unrestricted access to a home market of more than 60 million customers.
In Scotland we sell twice as much to the rest of the UK than we do to the rest of the world combined. As business owners in Scotland we trade unrestricted in a single market place without any barriers a border naturally brings with it such as currency exchange, varying legal systems, differing tax rules and diverse employment legislation.
So how would independence benefit small businesses in Scotland?
What small businesses in Scotland need to thrive, grow and be successful
What we need as a business community in Scotland is a stable, safe and secure economic environment that encourages business growth and that setting up, running and doing business is made easier to do, not just in the UK but throughout Europe.
We need better regulation practices and less red tape; we need to have access to finance in order to grow and in some cases start our business; better connectivity throughout Scotland; access to a workforce that has the skills and abilities small businesses require today and an environment where innovation and entrepreneurialism is supported and encouraged.
This is all achievable with the powers the Scottish government currently has. What businesses need is not independence but for our politicians to work harder for us and use the powers we already have to create the right environment for businesses in Scotland.
