"Britain will lose a piece of its national identity if the country's ceramics industry is allowed to descend further into crisis without state assistance, the government has been warned. Ceramics producers including the struggling potteries of Staffordshire have come under huge pressure owing to factors such as the UK's sky-high energy costs, leading to job losses. In a report, unions and the Green Alliance thinktank urged the government to step in to support the centuries-old sector."
"Paul Nowak, the TUC general secretary, said: Britain's ceramics industry is a fundamental part of our national identity and a vital economic powerhouse for the whole country. It's a critical enabler of key strategic sectors from energy to defence, medical technology and advanced manufacturing. But for too long the ceramics industry has been chronically overlooked and under supported and is now on its knees from sky-high energy bills, unfair dumping of cheap imports and years of underinvestment."
The ceramics sector faces acute pressure from exceptionally high UK energy costs, leading to job losses and business strain, particularly in Staffordshire potteries. Unions and the Green Alliance urge immediate government intervention, citing tens of thousands of working-class jobs that depend on the industry. Calls include action on gas pricing, removal of unnecessary regulatory burdens, and targeted support similar to that provided for other energy‑intensive industries. The sector supports around 20,000 jobs and underpins strategic areas such as energy, defence, medical technology and advanced manufacturing. Decarbonisation offers a route to long-term resilience but requires reduced industrial energy costs and measures against unfair trading.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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