National Manufacturing Day 2024: The Humber as a manufacturing powerhouse

Manufacturing has been and continues to be a key sector for activity and employment in all parts of the Humber making the region a major exporter to Europe, Asia and North America as well as a principal supplier to the rest of the UK.

Here are some key stats for Yorkshire and the Humber:

The manufacturing sector in Yorkshire and the Humber accounts for 6.7% of the UK’s total manufacturing output.
The region generates 14.6% of its regional output from manufacturing, significantly above the UK average of 9.4%.
The top industries in the wider region are chemicals, food and drink, and metal products, together accounting for almost half of the total regional output. Significant industries in Humber also include healthcare and pharmaceuticals and renewable energy manufacturing.
287,000 people work in manufacturing in Yorkshire and the Humber, accounting for 10% of the regional workforce (0.8% of the UK’s workforce).

There are more key stats on manufacturing in Yorkshire and the Humber and around the UK on Make UK’s latest Regional Manufacturing Outlook at https://www.makeuk.org/insights/reports/regional-manufacturing-outlook-2024

National Manufacturing Day 2024

National Manufacturing Day 2024, which is on 26^th September 2024, is focused on showcasing the range of companies operating in the manufacturing sector and the opportunities available for the future workforce.

National Manufacturing Day is “... an opportunity to showcase the diversity of a truly fascinating sector, the range of highly skilled jobs on offer and the amazing opportunities for reskilling and career development within manufacturing in the UK.” - National Manufacturing Day website

Manufacturing companies across the UK are opening their doors to show people what is involved both in the manufacturing process and to interest the next generation in the skilled and well-paid jobs on offer.

Is your manufacturing company getting involved?

To mark #NMD2024 we are taking a closer look at some of the manufacturing companies operating here in Humber.

Manufacturing in Humber

Air Products

One of the Humber’s leading manufacturers is Air Products, a manufacturer of industrial gases and the world’s largest supplier of hydrogen. They have been manufacturing in the Humber for four decades, with their first air separation unit (ASU) in the region coming on stream in 1986, in Stallingborough, followed by their facility in Hull in 1990.

Gases manufactured by Air Products range from life-critical, such as the oxygen supply in hospitals, liquid nitrogen for cryogenic stem cell storage, and helium for MRI scanners, to life enhancing, such as CO₂ that puts the fizz in your beer, helium that keeps your child’s birthday balloon afloat, modified atmospheres packaging that keeps food fresher for longer, and welding gases that help create the car you own, or the plane that takes you on holiday. In the Humber specifically, they manufacture oxygen, nitrogen and argon.

Decarbonisation and innovation

Air Products pioneered the “on-site” concept of producing and selling industrial gases in 1940, launching the industrial gas industry we know today. The industrial gases produced help companies across dozens of industries to improve yields, reduce energy consumption and lower emissions, reducing impact on the environment.

The oxygen and hydrogen supplied, for example, enable better combustion of fuels that reduces emissions in applications like cement, metals and glass manufacturing. Nitrogen is used in food freezing to improve product quality and reduce food waste – a major global issue.

Low carbon hydrogen is essential to reduce carbon emissions and reach net zero. Air Products deployed their first hydrogen fueling station in 1993 and they have developed an extensive patent portfolio related to hydrogen supply and dispensing technology whilst continuing to make significant advances in the use of hydrogen both as a transportation fuel and a fuel for power generation.

Air Products is planning to build, own and operate a world-scale renewable hydrogen facility in Immingham, together with partner Associated British Ports.

For Air Products, National Manufacturing Day is a chance to celebrate the breadth of skills, knowledge and diversity within the sector and – critically, to remind young people about the opportunities there are to make a real difference to both the regional and national economy and the environment around us.

David Maitland, Operations Director, UK, Ireland, Israel, Italy and Norway, Air Products said: “The manufacture of industrial gases is little known and talked about, and yet essential to the existence and wellbeing of hundreds of thousands of people in the UK, every day.

At Air Products we are proud to be both a manufacturer in our own right, but also to support such a range of manufacturing industries in the Humber and across the UK. We see the positive impacts of this daily, on skills development and local communities, on business, and on our combined sustainability efforts.”

Reckitt

Reckitt, a healthcare and pharmaceutical giant, was established in Hull in 1840 and has been manufacturing some of the world's most loved and trusted health brands for over 180 years. Reckitt develops and manufactures a range of health power brand products that people have loved including Dettol, Gaviscon, Nurofen Infant, Lemsip, and Fybogel.

Reckitt Hull Campus employs around 1800 people across R&D and Supply with approximately 800 of these colleagues working across 3 areas, 31 packing lines and 15 processing suites. Globally, Reckitt employs approximately 40,000 people.

Reckitt strives to ensure that their product portfolio meets consumers’ evolving needs. Using pilot plant technology gives competitive advantage, enabling mimicking an operational factory and eliminating delays to keep factory lines running whilst validating scale-up and processes with confidence.

For Reckitt, creating a truly inclusive culture where everyone can perform at their best goes beyond dates in the calendar. National Manufacturing Day may just be another date in the calendar, but it is also an opportunity to celebrate all the manufacturing colleagues at Reckitt and highlight the manufacturing talent across the Humber.

Esau Freire, Supply Site Director at Reckitt adds “Founded in 1840 in Hull, East Yorkshire, Reckitt began with the production of 'Reckitt's Starch' and has since developed most of our power brands locally.

Currently, Reckitt Hull stands unique as the sole global location housing both a Science & Innovation Centre and a flagship Health manufacturing site. Locally, we produce 22 brands and distribute them across more than 70 markets worldwide. We adhere to stringent quality controls within our manufacturing process to ensure compliance with Health Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Market Regulations.

We take care and have pride in our people, our heritage, and brands delivering worldclass performance, and products for our consumers worldwide.”

INEOS Acetyls

Firmly in one of the Humber region’s leading sectors, INEOS Acetyls’ business has been manufacturing chemicals in the region for more than 50 years. They make acetic acid, acetic anhydride and ethyl acetate; all chemicals which go on to make some of our most essential products, from clothing and textiles to pharmaceuticals, cleaning products, inks, food preservatives, solar panels, the automotive industry and paints. They employ over 300 people at their site at Saltend, Hull.

INEOS Acetyls products support a sustainable future, for example, Acetic acid is used in the production of ethyl vinyl acetate which is critical to manufacture solar panels. Acetic anhydride is used to treat and manufacture acetylated wood, creating a more sustainable, durable construction material, and Acetic acid is used to make peracetic acid, a wastewater treatment that is more environmentally friendly than the chlorine alternatives.

Rob Fergie, Hull Site Manager for INEOS Acetyls says

“As a global manufacturer of products which are vital to modern society, and a large employer in the region, it’s important to showcase and celebrate this fundamental contribution to everyday life that we, and many other manufacturing businesses, make.

National Manufacturing Day is also a great opportunity to shine a light on the array of exciting, high quality career opportunities this industry provides in our region.”