97. How Kada Helped Stoke-on-Trent City Council to evidence the impact of the ceramics sector in North Staffordshire

Stoke and North Staffordshire’s ceramics sector is nationally and internationally significant. Rooted in centuries of expertise, the sector not only produces world famous crockery and tableware it underpins supply chains in constructions, energy, health and manufacturing.

The ceramics industry has faced a significant number of challenges in recent years, such as rising energy costs and trade disruption. The number of ceramics firms in Stoke and North Staffordshire have decreased. This has brought risk that if local businesses continue to close or decline, the local sector will lose critical mass and threaten the existence of one of the UK’s most respected, best known and significant industrial clusters. That said there is a shared belief locally and nationally that with the right support the sector can overcome the current risks and economic pressures and prosper.

In order to better understand the health of the sector and what support is needed to reduce the risk of further losses, Kada and research partners Ortus Consulting were commissioned by Stoke-on-Trent Borough Council to review the current performance and resilience of the sector. The commission also included developing a roadmap of the key actions and activities required to support and develop the sector.

This work involved a desk review of relevant local, regional and national policy, a comprehensive local firm and supplier mapping exercise and conducting a performance analysis using TCR and Beauhurst data. This evidence was used to develop a local sector risk assessment, highlighting solvency and financial stability. A consultation programme, focused on operational realities, sector perspectives, challenges and opportunities, was undertaken with interviewees including manufacturers, suppliers, R&D organisations and universities. This was supplemented by a review of best practice within the sector and a review of the most effective cluster organisations.

This research informed a final action plan and roadmap that was co-designed with key stakeholders and ceramics businesses.  The action plan was clearly aligned with Stoke’s Future 100 economic growth prospectus and the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy to ensure that it could be fully utilised to gain governmental support and funding. The key recommendations from this action plan included:

• Lobbying and galvanising collective efforts to develop a consistent and easily digestible statement on the importance of the sector and the key needs.
• Explore funds and investment opportunities, using the data in the report to present feasibility studies and options appraisals.
• Review current careers pathways and development opportunities to ensure local provision meets sectoral demand.
• Maximise internal trade and export potential and investment by identifying international opportunities and developing an inward investment strategy.
• Build a ceramics brand and visitor offering that emphasises heritage, international excellence and immersive visitor experiences.