Brexit Britain has enjoyed a slew of good news stories in manufacturing, on top of Nissan’s high-profile commitment to expanding operations in the country.
News that Nissan would not only be retaining its Sunderland car plant, which EU loyalists had often threatened would be axed after Brexit, but expanding its operations, has dominated the headlines in recent days, but it is by no means the only positive development in British manufacturing to be announced in recent days, according to the Jefferson group.
Jefferson, while a politically neutral organisation which avoids direct commentary on issues such as Brexit, is keen to promote British manufacturing in the face of the rather bleak mainstream narrative, particularly on social media.
In a press release seen by Breitbart London, Jefferson highlighted a number of positive developments in the sector, including the announcement of the first chassis rolling off the production line at a new multi-million pound Lotus factory in Norwich and the first engine run being carried out successfully at a new £90 million Rolls-Royce testbed in Derby.
Jefferson also highlighted a new recruitment drive by Wrightbus, a Northern Irish manufacturer which recently unveiled a new, hydrogen-powered version of Britain’s iconic double-decker bus, which will bring on dozens of new workers and apprentices “including coachbuilders, spray painters, welders, electrical engineers, technicians, accountants, sales staff and a project manager”.
Looking beyond road vehicles, the industry advocates pointed to Bombardier Transportation — based, like the aforementioned Rolls-Royce testbed, in Derby in Northern England — having secured a massive contract to build monorail trains for the Egyptian capital of Cairo, supported by the British government through UK Export Finance (UKEF) programme.
Jefferson also highlighted the announcement of a new 1,870 sq m factory in Sheffield by machine knife manufacturer Fernite, which has been in business since 1832, when Queen Victoria’s uncle William IV still say on the throne.
It has also drawn attention to the very recent announcement of plans by Newport Wafer Fab in Wales — Britain’s biggest microchip factory — to double its production through an investment of £50 million, in response to surging semiconductor demand.
“It is frustrating to us at Jefferson, and many in the UK’s manufacturing community, that the majority of the mainstream media seems far more inclined to report negative news about the industry and that, either through ignorance, or agenda, it chooses not to report positive news with the same gusto,” said Jefferson founder Stuart Whitehead in comments to Breitbart London.
“Jefferson is unashamedly biased. We post positive news about new factories, investment, export successes and job creation,” continued Whitehead, who also co-founded the FactoryNOW initiative which supports efforts to “reshore” industries which have gone overseas.
“We are biased for a reason. The MSM gives undue prominence to negative news about British manufacturing and this needs to be counterbalanced,” Whitehead explained.