Showcasing 21st century British manufacturing, the website was launched last month at a high profile event in London. AES Seal, Bentley Motors, Plessey Semiconductors and FormFormForm have opened their factories to give leading authors and photographers the chance to explore their shopfloors and discover the innovations, new technologies and opportunities driving the next revolution, the website's promoters say.
A total of 46 organisations have already backed the endeavour, which is setting out to educate young people about the career opportunities in manufacturing, influence academics and politicians, as well as change perceptions of Britain's industrial strengths.
Featuring keynote speeches from author and commentator Will Hutton, as well as Terry Scuoler, chief executive of the EEF, the manufacturer's organisation, the launch event clearly drew some big guns, while the website boasts articles from equally heavyweight sources.
Says Marsh: "We are still very good at making things and manufacturing has immense potential to contribute substantially to our economy. However, not enough people are aware of our success stories, and one way to improve the growth prospects of UK industry is to find new ways to tell the world about it.
"Made Here Now intends to meet this need by using some of the best design, photography and writing to bring the excitement of making things to life.
"The project has really captured the imagination and we've already received significant support from leading organisations, such as JCB, Nesta, Rolls-Royce, Santander Bank, Siemens, the Royal Society and University of Cambridge."
Machinery, which sets out to help those people making it here now in metal make it better, applauds this effort. It targets an audience outside the interested parties that make up this magazine's core readership, which is just where manufacturing's profile most needs to be raised, of course.
First published in Machinery, May 2015
