22 Apr The UK – Bringing CNC back
OK, so that title works better if you know the tune of Justin Timberlake’s, “Sexy Back”, but aside from providing a cheesy title, CNC machining is re-emerging in the UK.
We’ve been long standing CNC machining experts in the UK and have always seen the benefits of having such processes available in the UK. What now appears to be happening is that more UK businesses are seeing this value as well.
So what is this value we’re alluding to? Well the below chart from a recent EEF report indicates that delivery and logistics costs form a crucial reason for bringing production back to the UK, coupled with improved image quality of the output. In essence, bringing services back to the UK increases manufacturers confidence in the production and delivery processes of their products.
For CNC machining these reasons make perfect sense.
Using CNC machining for prototyping can be such a time saver when you have the capabilities in-house and not located far from the main production base. You’re able to quickly create and refine the components as well as make changes without having to send the components abroad, which would create a delay and incurring cost.
Then there’s the added benefit that, if the prototype is sound, it can help in the early stage production thus getting a manufacturer closer to final delivery to their client and at a quicker pace.
For the production process, where CNC machining really comes into its own, the case for re-shoring is also strong. Every manufacturer wants to deliver the highest quality product possible and there seems to be a greater faith and lustre to British made products at the moment.
Coupled to this is the fact that logistic and shipping costs are not as favourable in foreign labour markets as they once were. Why bother producing and shipping in products abroad when the quality isn’t deemed as valuable and it costs more and takes longer to arrive?
With the recent announcement that £100m of funding will be made available to manufacturers, as announced by Vince Cable at MACH, it’s clear that British manufacturing is as important to the wider economy as ever.