UK manufacturing industry body, Make UK, has published a three point action plan to aid the sector in its recovery.
The plan contains proposals for the immediate lockdown period, an exit strategy and long term economic and industrial recovery.
This comes as the organisation calls on the government to bring forward a long term economic plan of its own.
While the announcement last week from the chancellor to extend the furlough scheme was welcome, Make UK says these proposals will enable companies see a broader policy horizon and help place the UK on an equal footing with international competitors.
This would effectively identify those areas that need additional measures to deal with COVID-19 outbreaks and avoid future waves of highly damaging National lockdowns.
Publishing its plan Prepare, Implement, Lead Make UK backed its view that the crisis has many months to run into next year with data from a survey of almost two hundred companies showing over a third (36.8%) believe it will take longer than twelve months to return to normal trading, whilst over a quarter (26.8%) believe it will take between six and twelve months. Just 26% of companies expect to be at full operating capacity at the start of 2021.
“Businesses need as much certainty and stability as possible during these challenging times. Moreover they need consistency of support. The current piecemeal and ever-changing model of support is not giving firms sufficient time to plan and prepare. Consistent, longer-term support that mirrors our international competitors is now needed.”
As part of its action plan Make UK has called for the immediate establishment of an Industry Action Group which would feed weekly impact and intelligence data each week into COBRA on what level of support is needed to protect businesses, employees and communities.
At the same time, government must also work with key trading partners to ensure borders remain open for goods and services and key freight routes protected.
This must be followed by a clear exit strategy with collective agreement between industry, scientists and government on when lockdown ends, including a fully functioning test, trace and isolate system that removes the time delays that employers and their employees currently face.
Looking forward, as well as securing a good deal with the EU that avoids the disastrous prospect for industry of leaving without one, government must set out a ‘ready to go’ strategy to fire up demand and help repair the economic damage.
Make UK www.makeuk.org
