Leading figures from the construction and advanced manufacturing sectors convened at the Birmingham office of Northern Irish construction company McLaughlin & Harvey on 27th March 2025 to discuss the future of the industry and the implications of the UK Government's forthcoming national industrial strategy. The roundtable event aligned with the government’s existing Industrial Strategy, which identifies advanced manufacturing as a key sector for economic growth.

The discussions centred on how the new industrial strategy should support the advanced manufacturing sector and unlock the potential of regions across the UK. Panellists shared their insights on what the strategy should prioritise in the coming years.

Paul Griffen, Managing Director of McLaughlin & Harvey, emphasised the need for improved communication within supply chains and a clearer pipeline of future projects. He stated: "One of the things that many large businesses could do better is communicate with their supply chains to let them know what the pipeline looks like. Better visibility of plans and projects would be beneficial so that we not only know what will be happening in four, five, or six years but can start investing in the necessary infrastructure. It would make a massive difference, especially to SMEs within our supply chain."

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Griffen also highlighted key elements he believes are crucial for a successful industrial strategy: "An industrial strategy needs to provide a clear, visible pipeline of development; it needs more mature procurement routes that involve more collaboration; and it needs competence within the government to run it effectively."

Reflecting on McLaughlin & Harvey's experience in the sector, Griffen noted: "From a construction perspective, we have enjoyed success in the industrial space. It’s ironic – we’re talking about challenges, but we’ve seen quite a bit of activity in that market over the last few years. However, as mentioned, I don’t see enough of a pipeline of opportunity over the next three to four years. We are flexible enough as a business to adapt and move into different sectors, but I don’t have a plan that says, ‘I’m going to be working in the industrial and advanced manufacturing sector for X number of years’."

Other industry experts participating in the roundtable included Stacey Godbehear of Rolls-Royce, Craig Wright from Wright Industries, Richard Freeman of Zeeko, Rachel Eade MBE of the UK Metals Council, Dan Carins from the West Midlands Combined Authority, Dr Paul Milne of WMG/University of Warwick, Claire Robertson of Drees & Sommer, John Carlin of McLaughlin & Harvey, Christian Smith of Savills, Ben Green of SEGRO, Steve Smith of Arcadis, and Ian White of McLaughlin & Harvey. Their diverse perspectives on the challenges and opportunities within the advanced manufacturing sector are expected to contribute to the ongoing dialogue surrounding the new national industrial strategy.

Comments from the industry experts can be read here.