One fifth of manufacturing jobs lost in last 10 years
The manufacturing sector in West Midlands has shrunk by nearly 75,000 jobs over the last decade.
Research by the GMB union showed the steep decline in British manufacturing jobs, with almost 600,000 less now than in 2007.
And the West Midlands is one of the worst hit, losing 74,700 jobs over the period – a fall of 18 per cent.
Only the north west has lost more manufacturing jobs, with that region seeing a decline of 93,500.
The figures show that in 2007, there were 3.5 million permanent and temporary manufacturing jobs across the country, making up more than 12 per cent of Britain's workforce.
But by the end of 2016 that had dropped to 2.9m, or 9.2 per cent of the total.
Jude Brimble, GMB national secretary for manufacturing, said: “We are at a critical crossroads in UK manufacturing.
“The right support for our manufacturing sector would accelerate growth, address the skills gap and provide much provide a much-needed boost to technology, production and exports.
“A robust manufacturing base post-Brexit is vital for the UK economy, workers and local communities."
Jaguar Land Rover, which has a base at the i54 in Wolverhampton, has not yet committed to building its next-generation electric cars in the UK.
The UK's biggest car manufacturer has demanded the Government agrees to fund £450m worth of infrastructure in the West Midlands before it makes a decision.
The firm, owned by India's Tata Group, said in April that it would cut more than 1,000 jobs, blaming a slump in car sales due to uncertainty about Brexit and the future of diesel vehicles.
Tata laid off more than 1,000 UK workers in 2016.
