Leeds is the UK’s third largest manufacturing centre. 50% of the UK’s manufacturing base is within a two hour drive of Leeds
Leeds remains one of the UK’s principal manufacturing centres. With 1,919 firms and around 39,000 employees, manufacturing firms account for 8% of total employment in Leeds.
A strong manufacturing culture exists within the city, supported by a large and skilled workforce able to adapt to the rapid technological advances driving the industry.
The largest sub-sectors are engineering, printing and publishing, food and drink, chemicals and medical technology.
Leeds companies manufacture an extremely diverse range of products including heart valves, newspapers and magazines, buses, jet turbine blades and motor components.
The largest manufacturing companies in Leeds are Moores Furniture Group, Yorkshire Post Newspapers, Carlsberg, AETC, Cameron, Lever Faberge, Schneider Electric, Wabco Automotive, Communisis, Kodak, Scientific Games, Arla Foods, Nampak Cartons, Symphony Group, Clariant, DePuy International and Sulzer (UK) Pumps.
Engineering is the largest manufacturing sector in Leeds with approximately 13,600 employees in 735 companies.
Output per worker across all sectors of the Leeds economy is expected to grow by 27% over the next decade and increase by 33% in manufacturing.
Regional development agency Yorkshire Forward has established a network of Centres for Industrial Collaboration to encourage closer working between industry and the region's universities.
Five of the centres – specialising in biomaterials and tissue engineering, food, particle science, digital print and wireless technologies – are based at the University of Leeds. Visit: www.yorkshirecic.com
The education sector in Leeds provides a comprehensive range of training and research support to manufacturers.
Leeds College of Technology is the largest provider of print-related training in the north of England. In partnership with the University of Leeds it delivers a unique part-time BSc (Hons) degree in Communication, Print and Packaging.
The Keyworth Institute has been established to develop partnerships between industry and the Faculties of Business and Engineering at the University of Leeds. The institute offers a unique masters degree in manufacturing leadership and enables industry to access the university's research and development capabilities in fields such as electronic, electrical, mechanical and environmental engineering.
Leeds is home to Electronics Yorkshire, which provides bespoke training for electronics companies in the region.
Leeds is the UK’s third biggest manufacturing centre and the largest provincial centre for printing, packaging and publishing with 425 companies employing 8,550 people.
Visit: www.leedsmanufacturing.co.uk