Dr Colin Rigby, Reader and Director of Enterprise at Keele University, is an academic with long standing links to the Staffordshire ceramics sector, where he worked in manufacturing of sanitary ware and conducted a number of high-profile research projects in manufacturing innovation with the industry Research Technology Organisation.
Following the news of Wedgwood announcing job cuts at its factory in Barlaston, he has spoken about the continued and targeted support needed for the ceramics industry.
He believes the situation should not be viewed as an isolated company issue but as part of a broader set of pressures facing manufacturers in the current economic climate.
“The situation at Wedgwood reflects long standing pressures rather than a single company failure. Demand volatility, energy costs, skills pipelines and global competition have all converged. What matters now is not just responding but using it as a catalyst for a clearer and more coherent industrial approach to ceramics.
Wedgwood’s parent company, Fiskars Group, has said production at Barlaston will focus on high-end, hand-crafted products to retain specialist local skills. However, the announcement has raised wider questions about how both firms and workers are supported during periods of transition.
This is not about propping up declining industries, it is about recognising that in a climate shaped by rapid technological change, and fragile global demand, businesses and workers need support to adapt, not just survive.
Technology is reshaping manufacturing through changes to design processes, supply chains and customer demand, accelerating the pace of change even in heritage and even to the biggest brands.
For workers affected by job losses, support needs to extend beyond redundancy consultations and short-term assistance. Meaningful help means access to funded retraining, recognition of transferable skills, and clear routes into related roles.
These might include high value ceramics, advanced manufacturing, design, quality assurance or specialist technical work.
Locally delivered informed support is crucial, particularly partnerships between employers, education providers, Jobcentre Plus and careers services.
There is a strong case for short, flexible upskilling programmes and employer linked retraining that helps retain skills within Stoke-on-Trent rather than losing them permanently from the local economy.
While immediate assistance for affected workers must remain the priority, the announcement has also prompted calls for longer term thinking about the future of the sector.
The question is not whether heritage manufacturing is viable. It is, but only when it is paired with innovation, skills investment and demand development. Stoke-on-Trent has those assets. What is missing is sustained alignment between industry, education and government.
Without that coordination, job losses risk becoming cyclical rather than exceptional, rather than part of a managed transition to a more resilient future for British ceramics.”
