On this year’s Make UK National Manufacturing Day, Focus SB’s MD Designate, Ciaran Mitchell proudly represented British manufacturing at Number 11 Downing Street.
Held two months ahead of the Autumn Budget 2025, the event in Downing Street offered attendees from across the sector the opportunity to engage with senior government officials, highlighting the contribution manufacturing makes to innovation, job creation and the economy.
Mr Mitchell commented: “ I am privileged to represent Focus SB at 11 Downing Street for a reception celebrating National Manufacturing Day. It was energising to connect with such a diverse group of manufacturers, sharing thoughts, ideas, and challenges.”
He continued: “I really valued making new connections and catching up with friends. A big thank you to Make UK for organising such an inspiring event, and to Gary Stevens for recognising the value of this initiative many moons ago.”
Focus SB is a longstanding member of Make UK, as well as the Made In Britain campaign, which has given the company a voice at government level including at last September’s Liberal Democrat Party Conference, a Manufacturing Commission pre-election event last July and a smarter regulation roundtable at Whitehall last March. The Sussex-based electrical accessories manufacturer boasts two Department for Business and Trade (DBT) Export Champions, including its current MD, Gary Stevens.
The company’s blog recently featured Make UK’s South of England Regional Director, Kerri-Anne Mruk who said: “Focus SB’s success, including its King's Awards for Enterprise in International Trade, exemplifies the impact of manufacturing on the UK economy. Their achievements, and those of our 20,000+ members, provide tangible evidence to shape government strategy. By amplifying these stories, we’ve advocated for policies that boost R&D investment, simplify export processes, and prioritise skills development. For instance, our recent industrial strategy report highlighted the £6 billion annual economic potential of closing the skills gap, a figure grounded in member insights. Focus SB’s global footprint reinforces the need for strategies that support SMEs in scaling internationally, something we’ll continue to push for.” Read the full interview.
Find out more about Focus SB on their member profile page here
Member-created content 1 week ago | From members