Government officials have gone behind the scenes at four of North Staffordshire’s key ceramics manufacturers following the announcement of a £120 million support package for the sector.
A two-day fact-finding mission hosted by Ceramics UK saw representatives from the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (DBIST) visit Valentine Clays, Mantec Technical Ceramics, Steelite International and Ibstock.
The visit gave the delegation a first-hand look at the scale and diversity of the ceramics industry in and around Stoke-on-Trent and explained how the new Ceramics Industry Support Scheme funding will help safeguard jobs, spark innovation and put the industry on a sustainable pathway for the future.
Hannah Ault, Managing Director of Fenton-based Valentine Clays and President of Staffordshire-based Ceramics UK, hosted a roundtable involving trade association members and DBIST officials.
The group was given a tour of the Mantec Technical Ceramics factory in Longton and shown the company’s Ultralite range of insulating ceramic materials designed to reduce energy consumption, reduce operating costs and cut carbon emissions.
Visits were also made to Steelite International in Burslem and one of Ibstock’s brick factories in Chesterton.
Emily Landsborough, Head of Sustainability at Ibstock, said: “As the UK looks to accelerate the delivery of new homes, it is vital that Government supports the role domestic manufacturers play in supporting housing delivery, skilled jobs and resilient supply chains.
“The visit provided a valuable opportunity to discuss both the challenges facing manufacturers with energy usage and the practical steps needed to ensure the Ceramics Industry Support Scheme is targeted and workable for the brick manufacturing sector.”
Ceramics UK’s CEO Rob Flello said: “From tableware used in the finest hospitality environments around the world, to the clay bricks that are essential to the construction of the UK’s housing stock, and high technology components for sectors including defence, aerospace and pharmaceutical, the visitors were given a comprehensive overview of the scope and scale of the ceramics sector.
“Seeing business operations first hand highlighted how diverse the industry is, how many jobs and livelihoods the sector supports, and how much pride and skill goes into ceramics manufacturing.
“I am delighted that the civil servants were able to discuss detailed proposals and hear how they would and indeed wouldn’t work in the real world. All in all it was a very valuable opportunity and I’m optimistic the scheme will be much better as a result.
“DBIST officials will now continue to engage with Ceramics UK and the sector as they develop the Ceramics Industry Support Scheme, to ensure that the policy is fit for purpose and secures the long-term competitiveness of the industry as an essential foundation industry of the UK economy.”
