The announcement of a £65 million National Manufacturing Institute for Scotland shows our politicians remain committed to heavy industry.
The question is whether it will achieve its objective.
The First Minister spoke yesterday with confidence not just on how the facility will help firms across the country, but how it will “revive” Scotland’s traditions in manufacturing.
A bold claim, given Scotland’s pedigree in the area – particularly the shipbuilding industry which once thrived not too far from the site of the new facility.
Today, manufacturing in Scotland accounts for about £12.5 billion. To what scale then is the planned revival?
Well, there is no specific target, which means there is nothing to swing at and miss. The justification for the outlay instead comes through jobs, with the Government claiming that up to 10,000 could be created in Renfrewshire as part of a wider manufacturing innovation district.
A similar centre in Sheffield has attracted the likes of Mclaren and Boeing, and the hope is that something similar will be created here.
It is all part of the Scottish Government’s manufacturing action plan, which looks at the industry’s role in an “expanding, export-driven economy”.
The plan rightly references the globalisation which has changed the structure of Scotland’s economy since the 1970s, noting that the key to combating this is to focus on high value, advanced manufacturing.
Today, that aim is more achievable and could create thousands of skilled jobs for the next generation of workers.
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