Forum Meetings and Events

The Forum has to date met six times. Notes covering each of these meetings are attached below:

Note of first meeting 2 December 2004
Note of second meeting 22 March 2005

Note of third meeting 20 July 2005

Note of fourth meeting 23 November 2005

Note of fifth meeting 2 March 2006

Note of sixth meeting 12 October 2006

Manufacturing Forum Awayday 5 - 6 February 2007 - Outcomes

The attached below are write-ups of 3 breakout sessions. These documents record the main outputs/potential actions and set them in the context of the overall discussions that took place throughout the awayday.
Industrial Strategy - High Level Outcomes
Breakout Session - Regions
Technology and the Technology Strategy Board

Enterprise Week (2006)

This year's Enterprise Week (13th - 19th Nov) had a strong manufacturing focus.

Enterprise Week - Ideas at Work Day - 14 November 2006

Manufacturer Live - 20 September 2006

The Manufacturing Forum was again represented at the Manufacturer Live Exhibition and Conference which took place this year at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry on 20/21 September. It provided an ideal opportunity to inform manufacturers of the progress of the work of the Forum over the past year and the initiatives in which it had been involved. Nick Brayshaw, OBE, Chair of the Barclays Manufacturing Industry Group gave presentations on the work of the Forum and the image of manufacturing. Tim Page of the TUC gave a presentation on Public Procurement. The event ended with a Q&A session.

Stakeholder Event - 5 September 2006

Minister of State for Industry & the Regions, Margaret Hodge along with her industry co-Chair Sir Kevin Smith, Chief Executive of GKN plc addressed a stakeholder event at Barclays Bank HQ, Canary Wharf on the evening of 5 September. The audience comprised mainly senior representatives from Trade Associations, the Regions and Devolved Administrations. The event was organised to explain the importance that Government attaches to the manufacturing sector, developments in the sector and the work of the Manufacturing Forum in taking forward issues of importance to its future competitiveness. There were presentations on improving the image of manufacturing including plans for Ideas at Work Day to promote manufacturing to school age children through a series of events planned for 14 November, progress on the National Skills Academy for Manufacturing and developments in public procurement. At the end there was a Q&A session followed by a Reception to facilitate networking. Copies of the agenda and presentations are enclosed.