BHETA has welcomed the Government’s announcement of a new support package for the UK ceramics industry.
This follows a Department for Business and Trade and HM Treasury statement on May 21 confirming that the ceramics sector will receive a package worth £120 million, designed to support capital investment in energy efficiency, decarbonisation, and long-term competitiveness.
The support will be open to eligible UK manufacturers across subsectors including household ceramics, technical ceramics, refractory products, and clay building materials.
BHETA has been lobbying in recent months in support of Ceramics UK with regular letters and representations to Government, highlighting the impact of high energy costs on ceramic tableware and giftware manufacturers, and calling for fairer recognition of ceramics within energy-intensive industry support.
This has included calls for reform of eligibility criteria that have previously excluded many ceramic tableware and giftware manufacturers from meaningful relief. BHETA has also urged faster and more targeted intervention as evidence of distress across the sector has increased.
The funding breakthrough follows an extremely difficult period for the ceramics industry, and in particular BHETA members such as ceramic tableware and giftware producers. With continuous high-temperature kiln firing, energy costs form a substantial and unavoidable part of the production process.
BHETA general manager Steve Richardson said: “Government recognition that ceramics should be treated as an important foundation industry is very welcome, not only because of its economic contribution, but because of its role in supply chains, communities, skills, and UK manufacturing heritage.
“It is one of Britain’s most historic and strategically important manufacturing sectors, and the risk of losing valuable domestic manufacturing capability and specialist expertise is profound.
“We now need to understand how the package will be implemented, which businesses will qualify, when applications will open, and whether ceramic tableware and giftware manufacturers will gain practical access to support.
“The Government has said applications are expected to open in the summer once final design work is complete, and BHETA will continue to engage with members, Ceramics UK, and Government as further detail emerges.
“The test will be whether manufacturers can access meaningful help, and whether support is sufficient to protect jobs, skills, investment, and UK manufacturing.”
BHETA members with concerns relating to energy costs or ceramics sector support are encouraged to contact the BHETA team directly. More details of BHETA’s lobbying programme can be found at www.bheta.co.uk.