Seven people who run factories and plants between Llanelli and Bridgend have been named among 130 “shaping the future” of British manufacturing, in a new set of honours from the industry body Make UK.
The Welsh list of 13 was published on Wednesday to mark National Manufacturing Day, when firms across the country open their doors to schools and colleges. More than half of it is from Swansea Bay.
Who’s on it
Vicky Reed, managing director of Gower Chemicals in Swansea, is honoured for “championing Welsh manufacturing, developing people and capability” and for innovation and resilience in the chemical sector, Make UK says.
Gavin Griffiths, director of the Swansea-based Gavin Griffiths Group, is recognised for “investing locally, driving responsible industrial growth” and community engagement. The group’s waste arm is building a £2m recycling plant at Llangyfelach, backed by the Development Bank of Wales.
Mike Evans, chief executive of EBS Automation in Llanelli, is cited for engineering excellence, apprenticeships and “developing Welsh manufacturing capability through innovation, training and long-term commitment”.
Oliver Conger, managing director of British Rototherm in Port Talbot, is honoured for “innovation, international growth and advanced manufacturing” and creating opportunities for future generations.
Peter Rees, HR manager for people and performance at Vale in Neath, is recognised for championing “industrial innovation, sustainability and circularity while protecting manufacturing capability, skilled employment and a proud Welsh industrial legacy” at the Clydach nickel refinery.
Ryan Jones, operations general manager at Sony’s UK Technology Centre in Pencoed, which builds broadcast and professional cameras, is honoured for innovation and skills and for “strengthening Wales’ global reputation for technology”.
Gavin Roberts, managing director of Caerbont Automotive at Abercraf in the Swansea Valley, is honoured for “championing Welsh engineering, innovation and entrepreneurship” and for building specialist capability in advanced automotive manufacturing. The rest of the Welsh list is from Abercynon, Llantrisant, Blaenavon, Tredegar, Aberdare and Cwmbran.
47,000 jobs going begging
The honours land with a warning. Make UK says half of manufacturers now call skills shortages their biggest barrier to growth, and 99% say access to skills will shape their plans. Office for National Statistics figures put unfilled manufacturing vacancies at around 47,000 across the UK.
Lianne Richards, Make UK’s membership director for Wales, said the honourees “demonstrate the talent, commitment and ambition that are helping secure the future of manufacturing in Wales, from long-established industrial strengths to the advanced technologies shaping the sector’s next chapter”.
The honours mark Make UK’s 130th anniversary and are run with Barclays, whose latest survey found 94% of manufacturers confident about their own prospects over the next year despite what the two organisations call “difficult trading conditions”.
Employment minister Andrew Western said more than 130 manufacturers were opening their doors on Wednesday, adding: “With around 47,000 vacancies in the sector, days like this are a brilliant way to connect young people with the opportunities available.”
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Emma Reynolds said modern manufacturing was “creating highly skilled jobs, helping develop new technologies and giving people the chance to build rewarding careers”.
Discover more from Swansea Bay News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
