The sector is also diverse, comprising a wide variety of industries and technologies from established sectors such as vacuum/photonics, food and drink, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, electronics and automotive to new industries developing around emerging technologies - low carbon, industrial biotechnology, nanotechnology, digital and advanced materials including composites. 

With the globalisation of the manufacturing value chain, manufacturers are able to execute different activities in different global geographies. Competition in domestic and international markets for manufactured goods has intensified. 

UK manufacturers now face competition from countries in the west as well as emerging economies, such as Brazil, Russia, India and China. Given the manufacturing landscape, both domestic and global, how will UK SMEs in the sector take advantage of opportunities for growth, as well as manage the bumps in the road that may lie ahead? 

A critical factor will be to access the right support and finance. In fact, the health of the UK economy depends on SMEs as the engine of continued growth.