Making More Than Products
How manufacturers are powering communities, opportunity and growth
21.09.2026
Manufacturers play an important role in communities across the UK, creating good jobs, supporting young people and investing in the places where they operate.
Published to mark the fifth National Manufacturing Day, Make UK’s new report, Making More Than Products: How Manufacturers Are Powering Communities, Opportunity and Growth, celebrates the contribution manufacturers make beyond the factory floor.
UK manufacturing contributes £220bn to the economy and supports 2.6 million jobs, with manufacturing pay 8% higher than the whole-economy average. But the sector’s contribution goes further than jobs and economic growth.
From creating opportunities for young people and opening up routes into work, to supporting local causes and investing in employee wellbeing, manufacturers are making a difference in communities across the country.
More than products
Manufacturers are often major employers in their local areas, but their contribution goes much further than the jobs they provide.
Businesses are working with schools, offering apprenticeships and work experience, helping people facing barriers to employment into good jobs, supporting charities and investing in healthier workplaces. In 2025, 46% of manufacturers increased their spending on health and wellbeing, while more than a third offered paid time off for volunteering.
The report also looks at how manufacturers are developing new technologies and more sustainable ways of making the products people rely on every day.
Manufacturing in communities across the UK
Making More Than Products features case studies from adi Group, Tornado Wire, LISI Aerospace, Pennine Healthcare, A&M EDM, Toyota Manufacturing UK and Pragmatic Semiconductor.
From pre-apprenticeships for school pupils and opportunities for ex-offenders, to workplace wellbeing, charitable giving and sustainable technology, their stories show the difference manufacturers are making in the places where they operate.
What the report covers:
Opportunities for young people
Widening access to good work
Employee health and wellbeing
Volunteering and community support
Sustainability and innovation