The Importance of British Manufacturing
Why is British Manufacturing Important?
Lyte Ladders: “At Lyte Ladders, British manufacturing is at the core of who we are. It's not just about producing ladders; it's about supporting the local economy, ensuring jobs stay within our communities, and maintaining a high standard of craftsmanship that our customers have come to trust. British manufacturing allows us to be agile and responsive, ensuring that our products meet the exacting standards of safety and durability that our customers expect. By keeping our production local, we also reduce the carbon footprint associated with long-distance shipping, making our products more sustainable.”
UTS: “ British manufacturing is crucial for several economic, social, and strategic reasons such as, economic contribution, innovation and technological development, strategic importance, regional development, Environmental Impact, and Global influence/prestige. British manufacturing is vital not just for the immediate economic benefits but also for its long-term impact on innovation, strategic security, regional development, environmental sustainability, and the UK’s global standing.”
What can businesses and customers do to support British Manufacturing?
Lyte Ladders: “Supporting British manufacturing starts with choosing to buy British-made products. For businesses, this means sourcing from local suppliers whenever possible, promoting the benefits of locally made products to customers, and educating them on the positive impacts of supporting the UK manufacturing sector. Customers can contribute by making informed choices, opting for products that are made in the UK and spreading the word about the benefits of buying local. Every purchase of a British-made product like Lyte Ladders is a vote of confidence in our home-grown talent and expertise.”
UTS: “Supporting the British manufacturing industry requires active participation from both businesses and customers. Some strategies and actions that businesses can take to make a meaningful impact are, source locally, invest in research and development, promote British made products, Sustainability initiatives, and more. Strategies and actions that customers can take include, buying British-made products, support British Manufacturing, support small and local manufacturers, sustainability considerations and more. By taking these actions, both businesses and customers can play a significant role in strengthening the British manufacturing industry, ensuring its resilience and continued contribution to the economy.”
How do you ensure the quality of British Manufacturing is upheld?
Lyte Ladders: “Quality is non-negotiable at Lyte Ladders. We have in-house testing and rigorous quality control processes in place at every stage of production, from sourcing raw materials to the final inspection of each ladder before it leaves our factory. Our team is composed of highly skilled professionals who are passionate about their craft, and we invest in continuous training and state-of-the-art equipment to ensure that every product meets our stringent quality standards. Additionally, being based in the UK allows us to closely monitor and quickly address any quality issues, ensuring consistency across all our products.”
UTS: “Ensuring the quality of British manufacturing involves a combination of stringent standards, continuous improvement practices, skilled workforce development, and robust oversight mechanisms. Here's how quality is upheld in the industry: adherence to industry standards and certifications, rigorous testing and inspection, skilled workforce and continuous training, investment in advanced technology, supply chain management and much more. By combining these strategies, British manufacturers can uphold and even enhance the quality of their products, ensuring they remain competitive in both domestic and international markets.”
Why should people choose a British manufacturer over an overseas option?
Lyte Ladders: “Choosing a British manufacturer like Lyte Ladders means choosing reliability, quality, and sustainability. Our proximity to the UK market means shorter lead times, better customer service, and the ability to quickly adapt to specific customer needs. Imported ladders typically travel thousands of miles before reaching the UK, generating substantial carbon emissions. In contrast, our ladders are manufactured locally, drastically reducing the emissions associated with transportation. This not only supports our commitment to sustainability but also ensures that our products are of the highest quality and reliability. Our customers can rest assured that they are receiving a product that is not only of the highest quality but also made with care for the environment and our community.”
UTS: “Choosing a British manufacturer over an overseas option offers several significant advantages, ranging from quality and reliability to economic and environmental considerations. Here’s why people might opt for British manufacturers: quality assurance and standards, supporting the local economy, supply chain resilience, environmental and ethical considerations, shorter lead times, national pride/identity and much more. In summary, choosing a British manufacturer supports the local economy, ensures high-quality products, reduces environmental impact, and offers greater reliability and flexibility. For businesses and consumers alike, these benefits often outweigh the potential cost savings of purchasing from overseas manufacturers.”
What measures are being taken to ensure sustainability and reduce environmental impact of the manufacturing process?
Lyte Ladders: “At Lyte Ladders, we recognise the critical importance of sustainability and are committed to leading the way in reducing our carbon footprint. Following our Carbon Footprint Report in August 2023, we have set ambitious reduction targets to guide our efforts. Our Carbon Reduction Plan is a testament to our dedication to the environment, aiming for Net Zero emissions by 2050. We’ve implemented several initiatives to reduce our environmental impact, including the installation of a 350kW solar power system that significantly lowers our carbon emissions. Additionally, we offer repairable products to extend their lifespan, reducing the need for replacements and thus cutting down on waste. We source materials responsibly and are constantly exploring ways to reduce energy consumption and minimise waste in our production processes. By manufacturing locally, we also reduce the carbon footprint associated with transportation, making our products a more sustainable choice.”
UTS: “Ensuring sustainability and reducing the environmental impact of manufacturing is increasingly becoming a priority for British manufacturers. Various measures are being implemented across the industry to achieve these goals such as, energy efficiency, waste reduction and management, use of sustainable materials, water conservation, reducing emissions, sustainability programs, and more. By implementing these measures, British manufacturers are making significant strides in reducing their environmental impact and ensuring a more sustainable future for the industry.”
Added Thoughts from Manufacturers:
Lyte Ladders: “Lyte Ladders is on a clear path to Net Zero emissions by 2050. With targets like 100% reduction in Scope 2 emissions by 2025 and significant cuts in Scope 1 and 3 emissions, we are committed to leading the industry in sustainability. Our strategy includes numerous initiatives, such as increasing energy efficiency, reducing fleet emissions, and leveraging renewable energy sources. We are continuously monitoring our progress and adjusting our strategies to ensure we meet our ambitious goals.” You can find out more about Lyte’s carbon reduction initiatives here: Lyte Ladders: Pioneering a Sustainable Future - Lyte Ladders & Towers.
UTS: “As you can see this is very dear to our hearts and feel strongly that British Manufacturing should be supported by the Government via incentives and rewards and to bring the ‘Made in Britain’ logo to the forefront of everyone, whether in the business or domestic markets, so that a UK manufactured product is peoples ‘go to’choice.” The information we used in this article comes from UTS’ research on British Manufacturing, if you wish to find out more you can read their data.”
British Made Products:
If you are interested in supporting British manufacturers, both Lyte and UTS have a great range of British-made products, in this section we will highlight a couple of them.
Lyte Heavy Duty Swingback Stepladder:
This product is not only British-made but is also tested and certified to EN131-2 Professional standards. It includes many great features such as improved stiles, strengthened non-slip treads, reinforced platform inline, unique strengthening beam incorporated into the treads, rubber feet, and rigid box section back legs with additional cross braces for increased strength and stability. You have a variety of options for size, ranging from 4 treads at 1.69m working height up to 12 treads at 3.57m working height.
UTS Aluminium Adjustable Podium Steps:
The UTS Aluminium Podium Steps are certified to the latest BS8620 standard to ensure safety when working at low levels. It offers an adjustable platform height so users can use this podium step at two different heights, offering a safe and versatile experience at low levels. The fully guarded platform offers extra safety, as well as offering self-closing gates to guarantee the gates are closed when the platform is in operation, to avoid falls.
In Summary:
In summary British manufacturing of all products, not only ladders is an important factor for our economic growth, lowers the carbon footprint of these products and supports local business. We can all do our part to help the industry strive, from buying British-made products to taking sustainability into account. We have other suppliers of ladders and access product on our website including Access Panels, Exilco and Laddermate.
Hopefully this article has helped you learn more about the British manufacturing industry and you will use that knowledge when choosing suppliers, and products in the future. For more articles like this one, check out our blog page.
If you have any questions or need further information, get in touch with our team at 01204 590232.or contact us via email.