One of Rugby’s oldest manufacturers and one of the newest opened their doors to young people for National Manufacturing Day 2023, with school children invited in to learn for themselves about the realities of modern manufacturing.
The pupils, from schools around Rugby, were joined by local MP Mark Pawsey who has been a strong supporter of both the manufacturing sector in Rugby and Bulkington, and as Co-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Manufacturing Group has championed the sector in Parliament.
Mark joined pupils from Bilton School who were visiting Alcohols Ltd. Although they are a new business to Rugby, having opened a new site on the A5, they have over 200 years of experience in their sector. That experience was on full display during National Manufacturing Day as they ran pupils through the process of buying, processing and then selling alcohol for a wide variety of uses – from cleaning products to gin. They also explained to the Bilton School pupils how the business runs, including the need for maintenance and the importance of the different teams throughout the organisation.
Other businesses opening their doors for National Manufacturing Day included Lisi Aerospace, who welcomed Mark alongside local students from Avon Park School. Lisi Aerospace, who design bolts and fastners for the aerospace industry, demonstrated to the pupils how their embrace of modern technology is leading to cutting edge design and delivery by using augmented reality tools. This means that the range of skills and opportunities within modern factories is dramatically different from even a few years ago, with maintenance and operations needing both digital and practical skills.
Speaking after visiting the businesses, Mark commented:
“I believe it’s vital that young people have the opportunity to see for themselves how modern manufacturing works. Modern factories, especially here in Rugby, are often using technology and digital skills to enhance production. National Manufacturing Day is not only a great way to give the next generation that introduction to the sector, but also helps to promote the incredible work taking place in Rugby, and across the UK, to develop and make many of the products which we all use every day. I’m really grateful to both Alcohols Ltd and Lisi Aerospace for opening their doors to some of Rugby’s pupils and inspiring the next generation of engineers.”
Adam Wallis, the Managing Director of Alcohols Limited added:
“We were excited to welcome pupils from Bilton School to our new multi-million pound facility close to Rugby. During their visit the pupils gained an insight into the chemical industry and marvelled at the size of ‘Natalie Gin Still’ which arrived on site this week. Capable of producing 300,000 bottles a day, she is one of the largest gin stills in Europe. We believe the visit gave the students a valuable insight into business supply chains and the numerous roles involved in manufacturing. Indeed, as we prepare to commission the site, we have a number of job opportunities available for local people in the Rugby area.”