Kelly Becker, president UK & Ireland, Belgium & Netherlands at Schneider Electric, comments on the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy.
“The Industrial Strategy is an important policy milestone, and it provides much-needed business clarity and confidence for investment. The Government’s focus on reducing energy costs is a welcome relief, as high energy bills are one of the biggest barriers to UK industrial growth. Yet, with the new British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme not being in place until 2027, businesses need support now. The technologies already exist to manage energy and reduce costs – increased uptake of these should be supported to help all businesses, not just those eligible under the new scheme.
“Equally, a focus on electricity networks and associated supply chains is welcome as they are essential to establishing a more secure, resilient energy system. This approach means greater support for domestic manufacturers who supply vital components needed to meet growing demand in the energy transition. In turn, this can drive growth for regional industrial hubs – at Schneider Electric, for example, we have invested nearly £50 million in Yorkshire over the past two years to meet the increased demand for electrical infrastructure to drive the UK’s clean energy transition.
“Efforts to bolster engineering skills will be critical to plugging talent gaps in manufacturing. Together with accelerating digitalisation and electrification, this will prove crucial to energy security, reducing industrial costs, and building lasting economic resilience.”
