Making it in Cumbria

Professor Frank Peck of the University of Cumbria’s Centre for Regional Economic Development writes for in-Cumbria on the big issues of the day and the economic data behind them. This month, he focuses on advanced manufacturing. Advanced manufacturing is heralded as one of the key areas for the future growth of the economy of the UK and is identified as one of the four strategic priorities in Cumbria LEP’s Strategic Economic Plan. The term itself needs some explanation – what does it mean to say manufacturing is ‘advanced’? While there is no single agreed definition, it is most commonly used to refer to complex globally oriented production of specialised goods, materials and components within which high levels of innovation in relation to business processes and application of new technology are keys to competitiveness.