Author: Business Enquirer
The UK manufacturing sector has entered 2026 in a cautious mood. While production and export activity have shown modest improvement after a weak end to 2025, many factories remain under pressure from rising costs, weak domestic demand and persistent economic uncertainty. Industry leaders warn that the sector is starting the year on a “fragile footing,” reflecting the difficult balancing act facing manufacturers as they attempt to maintain growth while navigating an unpredictable economic environment. Manufacturing remains a critical pillar of the British economy, responsible for a large share of exports, innovation and high-value employment. Yet the early signals for 2026…
A fresh wave of investment is flowing into the mining sector as governments and investors race to secure the materials that power the modern economy. Global mining investment firm Orion Resource Partners has raised $2.2 billion for a new mining-focused fund, signalling rising urgency around the supply of critical minerals used in everything from electric vehicles to defence systems. The fund, Orion Mine Finance Fund IV, represents the largest fundraising in the firm’s history and reflects growing geopolitical competition over the metals underpinning the energy transition. With demand for lithium, copper, cobalt and nickel accelerating worldwide, investors are increasingly positioning…
Britain’s energy policy is once again under intense scrutiny as industry leaders urge the government to approve development of the largest undeveloped oil field in the North Sea. The appeal comes amid warnings that failing to unlock domestic energy resources could leave the UK vulnerable to future supply shocks and rising costs. Manufacturers and energy analysts have called on Energy Secretary Ed Miliband to allow extraction at the Rosebank oil field, arguing that the project could play a crucial role in stabilising the country’s energy supply during a period of global uncertainty. The debate highlights the increasingly complex balancing act…
Healthcare systems around the world are undergoing a structural rethink of how they source, manage and distribute critical medical supplies. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed deep vulnerabilities in global supply networks, revealing just how dependent many hospitals were on a small number of overseas manufacturers. Today, healthcare leaders are prioritising supply chain diversification and resilience, shifting away from the single-source procurement models that dominated the past two decades. The goal is clear: ensure hospitals can continue delivering care even when global logistics are disrupted. From pharmaceuticals and personal protective equipment to diagnostic tools and surgical devices, healthcare supply chains now sit…
Heavy industry sits at the centre of the global decarbonisation challenge. Sectors such as steel, cement and petrochemicals remain essential to economic growth, yet they are also among the world’s most carbon-intensive industries. A growing body of research now points to carbon capture and storage (CCS) as one of the technologies capable of bridging that gap. According to new analysis highlighted by Standard Chartered, scaling CCS infrastructure could significantly accelerate the decarbonisation of industrial supply chains, including the steel sector. The bank’s latest transition-finance insights suggest that strong regulation, cross-border collaboration and large-scale investment will be critical to unlocking the…
A New Era for Sustainable Construction Sustainability in the built environment is entering a decisive new phase. For years, environmental performance was largely judged at the design stage, relying on modelling, projections and theoretical efficiency targets. Today, that approach is rapidly being replaced by a far more demanding benchmark: measurable, real-world performance. Digital innovation and PropTech are at the centre of this transformation. Across the construction and real estate sectors, new technologies are enabling developers, investors and occupiers to track how buildings actually perform once operational, turning sustainability from a design ambition into a verifiable outcome. In this evolving landscape,…
Air travel across the Middle East is slowly beginning to recover after widespread disruptions caused by regional conflict and airspace closures. In a sign of gradual stabilisation, Qatar Airways has restarted limited flight operations from its hub at Doha’s Hamad International Airport, while Jazeera Airways is launching special flights from Saudi Arabia to help stranded passengers return home. The developments come after several days of severe aviation disruption across the Gulf region, when missile strikes and military activity forced the temporary closure of airspace and halted commercial flight schedules. Qatar Airways Begins Limited Operations Again Qatar Airways restarted restricted flight…
UK housebuilding giant Persimmon has increased production at its in-house brick factory to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week as it responds to rising demand for materials across its housing developments. The move forms part of a broader strategy to strengthen supply chains and reduce reliance on external building materials. By producing key materials internally, the company aims to improve cost control, construction efficiency and quality standards across its residential developments. Persimmon’s latest financial results reveal that the company delivered around 60 million bricks in 2025, representing a 23% increase compared with the previous year, with the…
Solar power has emerged as the most desirable energy feature for people buying newly built homes in the UK, reflecting growing consumer demand for energy efficiency and protection from volatile electricity prices. A nationally representative survey of 2,500 adults conducted by E.ON found that 75% of people would prefer to buy a new-build property with solar panels rather than one without them. In addition, 68% believe solar panels should be mandatory on all newly built homes. The findings underline how renewable energy technology is moving from a “nice-to-have” feature to an expected standard in modern housing developments. Solar Leads the…
Manufacturers across Leeds are expanding a city-wide initiative designed to tackle one of the UK industry’s most pressing challenges: the growing shortage of skilled workers. The Leeds Manufacturing Festival 2026 is broadening its programme of events to connect employers, educators and students while raising awareness of career opportunities in engineering and advanced manufacturing. The initiative comes at a critical time for the sector. UK manufacturers continue to report difficulty recruiting skilled staff, while youth unemployment has risen and fewer young people are considering technical or vocational careers. Organisers say the festival aims to bridge this gap by bringing together industry…