Above: CBA delegation delivering letters to 10 Downing Street
The Chemical Business Association (CBA), the voice of the UK chemical supply chain, has called for closer collaboration between Government and industry to support the reindustrialisation of Britain, highlighting the vital role of the chemical sector in delivering economic growth, resilience, investment and jobs.
The call came during the Association’s Parliamentary Reception at the Palace of Westminster on 8 September. The event, sponsored by MP Julia Buckley, brought together members, policymakers, industry leaders and other stakeholders to celebrate more than 100 years of the CBA and discuss the future of the UK chemical supply chain.
Blair McDougall, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and Minister for Reindustrialisation, attended the reception and spoke about the importance of the chemical sector to the Government’s reindustrialisation agenda, as well as the need for Government and industry to work together to deliver meaningful change.
The CBA used the event to set out three practical priorities where greater collaboration could help strengthen the country’s industrial base and support Government’s ambition for reindustrialisation. Following the reception, a CBA delegation delivered three letters to Number 10 setting out those priorities, with support from businesses, trade associations, academia and other organisations across the sector.
CBA Chief Executive Tim Doggett said: “There is a real opportunity to reindustrialise Britain, grow the economy and build a stronger, more resilient country. But ambition needs to be matched by delivery.
“It was encouraging to hear the Minister for Reindustrialisation clearly recognise and acknowledge the critical importance of our sector and the need for Government and industry to work together. That collaboration is essential if we are going to turn the ambition for reindustrialisation into something tangible.
“The reality is that Britain cannot be reindustrialised without chemicals. More than 96% of manufactured goods depend on chemical inputs. The sector directly employs more than 150,000 people, supports more than half a million jobs across the wider supply chain, generates over £70 billion in annual turnover and is the UK’s second-largest manufacturing exporter by value.
“That is why the chemical supply chain and the wider chemical sector must sit at the heart of the Government’s Industrial Strategy. We have set out three practical areas where we believe progress can be made. Now we need to turn recognition of the sector’s role into action.”
The CBA’s three letters focus on issues it believes are fundamental to strengthening Britain’s industrial base and creating the conditions for future investment and growth.
The first calls for the strategic importance of chemicals to be recognised, with the CBA seeking greater prominence for the sector alongside the development of a clear and coherent long-term UK chemicals strategy in partnership with industry.
The second focuses on the people needed to support future industrial growth. Through its Generation STEAM initiative, the CBA is working to showcase the wide range of careers available across the chemical supply chain and, more broadly, including the sectors and industries that are essential to Britain’s reindustrialisation. The CBA is calling on Government to recognise and support the initiative as part of the wider national approach to skills and workforce development.
The third prioritises a workable future for UK REACH, with the Association calling on Government to take bold action – including changing the law where necessary – to deliver a proportionate system that maintains high standards of health and environmental protection without compromising chemical access and availability, innovation, or UK competitiveness.
Together, the three priorities are intended to address some of the practical conditions needed for successful reindustrialisation: recognising the industries that underpin the economy, ensuring businesses can access the skills they need, and removing barriers that restrict investment and competitiveness.
“Reindustrialisation will not happen through strategy alone. It requires the right conditions for businesses to invest, innovate, employ people and grow. Government and industry both have a role to play in creating those conditions. We have set out where we believe progress can be made, and we are ready to work with Government to make it happen.
“The opportunity to reindustrialise Britain is real. The chemical sector is ready to play its part. Now we need to turn ambition into action,” concluded Doggett.
