As part of a national scheme to support innovation, Rugby MP Mark Pawsey has today launched a search for the most outstanding and innovative manufacturing products which have or are being developed here in Rugby.
The product could be anything from jam to silicon chips, from baby monitors to farming equipment – the only restriction is that it is designed or manufactured locally.
Mark is doing this as a part of a project developed by a cross-party group of MPs and Peers, keen to support and champion UK manufacturing.
Mark said:
‘Too many people in this country believe that we don’t manufacture anymore. Nothing could be further from the truth. The UK is, in fact, the world’s 6th largest manufacturer. We need a manufacturing renaissance in Britain, and the creativity and production of Rugby could go a long way to making this happen.’
He added:
‘This is a great opportunity for a Rugby based business to demonstrate a product which has been developed from start to finish in the area. I hope that businesses will come forward and nominate their merchandise in my search to find a great example of British design and manufacturing’.
Each MP will nominate one manufactured product from his own constituency, to be entered into a high profile exhibition of 21st century manufacturing. Using the opportunity that the Olympics offers to demonstrate the best of British, this will be on show in London and around the country in 2012, as well as through a cutting-edge online catalogue.
The MPs have been inspired by the example of their predecessors, who 160 years ago this year, supported Prince Albert’s world-famous ‘Great Exhibition’. The Great Exhibition of 1851 showed thousands of examples of manufacturing and design, in a massive celebration of ingenuity, creativity and resourcefulness. The iconic Crystal Palace was designed and built for the purpose of housing the vast exhibition. In today’s economic climate, the scale of the exhibition will be rather more modest, but the need to boost confidence in the UK’s manufacturing ability has never been greater.
Mark concluded:
‘The objective of the exhibition is to curate and present a picture of contemporary British manufacturing: to make manufacturing visible. I hope representation from my Constituency will be made and would urge local businesses to get in touch as soon as possible.’
Want to be involved? To nominate a product, your own or even someone else’s, please contact Nikki Williams in Mark’s office at Albert Buildings, 2 Castle Mews, Rugby, CV21 2XL on 01788 579499 or e-mail Mark at mark.pawsey.mp@parliament.uk BY 30th MARCH 2011