Yorkshire has been named the top exporter of manufacturing goods outside of London by UK government
Official figures show that for every 10,000 residents in Yorkshire in 2017, there were 22 exporting companies- more per person than anywhere else in the Northern Powerhouse as well as more than Scotland and Wales. Between 2016 and 2017, exports from Yorkshire also surged by 14% – the strongest growth from across the Northern Powerhouse.
One explanation for the table-topping export figures is Yorkshire’s strong and enduring industrial base. Almost 10% of the region’s workforce is employed in manufacturing.
From Siemens UK investing up to £200 million in a state-of-the-art train factory in Goole to Sirius Minerals announcing a revolutionary mineral transport system in Wilton creating billions of pounds in exports, Yorkshire continues to build on its reputation as the beating industrial heart of the North.
The region also boasts the highest proportion of exports going to Sub-Saharan Africa as well as above UK average exports going to Latin America and the Caribbean.
Yorkshire’s high export figures can be attributed to the wide variety of goods and products the region produces in a diverse number of industries – from advanced manufacturing to traditional farming – exports of food and animals were valued at nearly £1 billion in 2017, and exports from this sector grew by 11.6% between Q1 2017 and Q1 2018.
The county is also home to the headquarters of Tata Steel, Northern Foods, Northern Monk Brewery Co, a world-renowned farming industry and some of the most iconic household brands like Fox’s biscuits and Cravendale milk.
Northern Powerhouse Minister, Jake Berry MP, said: “This Yorkshire Day, let’s recognise the tremendous achievements of the entrepreneurs, business owners, manufacturers and innovators who are leading the charge of the Northern Powerhouse with an export-driven economy at its heart.
“Yorkshire has a rapidly growing network of businesses who are part of our Northern Powerhouse partners programme. These latest figures show what can be achieved when government and business work together and I encourage local companies of all sizes to join our coalition of private and public sector partners taking the Northern Powerhouse forward.
Minister for Investment, Graham Stuart, said: “Today, more and more local Yorkshire companies are seizing the enormous global opportunities which exist across the world, with consumers admiring the creativity, quality and ingenuity of Yorkshire made goods.
“For those who are considering exporting, help is instantly accessible from the Department for International Trade, with online tools available at great.gov.uk. From sporting success to growing exports, Yorkshire has an enormous amount to offer and as a Yorkshire MP I take great pride in the success of local businesses exporting goods and services from the Northern Powerhouse across the globe.”
