Industry indicates support for industrial strategy

The Government's strategy aims to reduce high industrial energy costs and modernise infrastructure to boost the UK's industrial competitiveness. This aligns with IMI's snapshot poll which found that when asked about the biggest opportunity for improvement in their pneumatic or motion systems, 38% of businesses cited energy efficiency. This was followed by system reliability (29%) and maintenance predictability (24%).

And the importance of sustainability was highlighted when companies were asked what they thought are the most significant opportunities for growth or improvement in the engineering sector. To this end, over one in five (22%) companies identified advancing sustainability as a significant opportunity for growth.

However, while sustainability remains high on the agenda, tackling skills shortages was the strongest opportunity, cited by almost half of all respondents (44%). The other two most popular answers were optimising supply chains (24%) and managing rising costs (9%).

The research also found that when selecting a systems solutions manufacturer, engineering expertise is the most valued quality, cited by 65% of respondents. While customised solutions (25%) and training support (10%) were also noted as important factors.

Daniel Coetzee, vice president: growth, industrial automation for IMI, comments, “Our poll highlights the growing demand for energy-efficient solutions, engineering expertise, and strategies to address skills shortages in the industrial sector. However, against this backdrop it is encouraging to see that sustainability remains a priority for many businesses, with the majority of engineering companies recognising this as a business opportunity for them.”

To support the engineering sector, IMI has produced a suite of materials to help companies tackle the impact of energy use, including how to reduce energy bills through optimised compressed air system solutions, as well as improve productivity outcomes. 
 
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