An annual survey published last month by accountants BDO (
www.bdo.co.uk) and EEF (the manufacturers’ organisation) shows that the West Midlands region currently employs 305,000 people — more than one in 10 of the UK workforce.
The number of highly skilled jobs in the region has grown by 3.7% since 2010, and the West Midlands has the second-largest manufacturing sector in the UK, with 14,745 companies (second only to London and the South East).
Charlotte Horobin, West Midlands region director for EEF (
www.eef.org.uk), said: “The report shows that industry has an increasingly vital role to play in the West Midlands.
"The last 12 months have seen a strong performance, with lofty heights being reached in the second half of last year, and it is no surprise to see some easing back in the first half of 2018.”
The EEF says that, despite a slowdown in growth, average output, total orders and employment balances for the past year all remain healthy, and regional manufacturers have had a strong year.
The West Midlands is a strong export performer, accounting for 11.9% of UK manufacturing exports in 2017 — the second-highest percentage of any UK region — with 44.1% of its exports going to the European Union.
This is the lowest proportion for any UK region, although the West Midlands exports a higher proportion than other regions to North America (19.9%) and to Asia and Oceania (22.7%).