Should Scotland be an independent country?

[mudskipper]

But you're flogging a dead horse here; it's CUK General, so facts don't count.

And that's a fact.

[Platypus]

BBC News - Number of Scots in work hits four-year high

That's because there are too many Scots in England, pushing up the rate of unemployment here

[minestrone]

Get your arse down here to Derby now and you'll see all the new sheds being put up. Yes some manufacturing and assembly is done abroad with partner companies, but the high precision good stuff is done here as is all the clever electronics and software.

Where are the ones that grounded Quantas and had to be recalled made? Serious question?

[vetran]

Where are the ones that grounded Quantas and had to be recalled made? Serious question?

where was the Deep fried Mars Bar invented ?

not so serious question!

You never specified good manufacturing !

[sasguru]

Some facts on manufacturing in the UK

1. The demise of UK manufacturing is much exaggerated. here are some figures aimed at job-seekers
Overview of the engineering and manufacturing sector in the UK | Prospects.ac.uk

2. Britain's exports are about 1/3 those of Germany's by value. So could do better.

3. In all Western economies, including Germany, manufacturing as a share of GDP has been declining steadily over the years (UK: about 12%, Germany about 25%). This trend seems set to continue.

4. The Services esctor is the largest in all Western economies including Germany.

5. UK is about the 6th largest exporter in the world.

6. UK exports per capita are larger than Japan.

7. Germany is obviously one of the more successful countries at exporting, but the spiralling cost of its energy due to the new policy of exclusively wind/solar energy by 2050 is increasingly a problem. Germany energy costs are now 30% above the European norm.

8. Meanwhile the cost of energy in the US is falling due to fracking.

9. 3-D printing will probably impact manufacturing in a significant way

[vetran]

why thank you SASGuru, very interesting.

[sasguru]

why thank you SASGuru, very interesting.

Yes I know facts bore you- maybe there's a sensational, but completely wrong, Mail article you could read to get your juices flowing?

[vetran]

Yes I know facts bore you- maybe there's a sensational, but completely wrong, Mail article you could read to get your juices flowing?

I was actually being nice, I even for a moment thought of not being rude to you. Then you blew it!

[eek]

1. The demise of UK manufacturing is much exaggerated. here are some figures aimed at job-seekers
Overview of the engineering and manufacturing sector in the UK | Prospects.ac.uk

2. Britain's exports are about 1/3 those of Germany's by value. So could do better.

3. In all Western economies, including Germany, manufacturing as a share of GDP has been declining steadily over the years (UK: about 12%, Germany about 25%). This trend seems set to continue.

4. The Services esctor is the largest in all Western economies including Germany.

5. UK is about the 6th largest exporter in the world.

6. UK exports per capita are larger than Japan.

7. Germany is obviously one of the more successful countries at exporting, but the spiralling cost of its energy due to the new policy of exclusively wind/solar energy by 2050 is increasingly a problem. Germany energy costs are now 30% above the European norm.

8. Meanwhile the cost of energy in the US is falling due to fracking.

9. 3-D printing will probably impact manufacturing in a significant way

I love the way fact 9 (which I think will have an even bigger impact than many people expect) seems to be tagged randomly on the end of the list.

[Mich the Tester]

1. The demise of UK manufacturing is much exaggerated. here are some figures aimed at job-seekers
Overview of the engineering and manufacturing sector in the UK | Prospects.ac.uk

2. Britain's exports are about 1/3 those of Germany's by value. So could do better.

3. In all Western economies, including Germany, manufacturing as a share of GDP has been declining steadily over the years (UK: about 12%, Germany about 25%). This trend seems set to continue.

4. The Services esctor is the largest in all Western economies including Germany.

5. UK is about the 6th largest exporter in the world.

6. UK exports per capita are larger than Japan.

7. Germany is obviously one of the more successful countries at exporting, but the spiralling cost of its energy due to the new policy of exclusively wind/solar energy by 2050 is increasingly a problem. Germany energy costs are now 30% above the European norm.

8. Meanwhile the cost of energy in the US is falling due to fracking.

9. 3-D printing will probably impact manufacturing in a significant way

All valid points but two nuances;
7. Lots of Germans especially the CDU types are expecting that policy to be quietly dumped after Mrs Merkel's re-elected, assuming she is.

9. Yes it will; one direction that manufacturers are looking at is highly configurable products where consumers make some part, like an outer shell, that suits their taste, according to some guidelines by the manufacturer and using software tools provided my the seller. Another direction is in using 3D printing to prototype at multiple suppliers to the big manufacturer. But in truth, it's very exciting and nobody really knows where it's going to lead.