THE new Master Cutler Craig McKay has called on Government to address “inadequate infrastructure, ill-considered regulation and uncompetitive energy prices” to aid manufacturers.
Mr McKay, who has taken over from David Grey to act as the lead ambassador for the 400 year-old Company of Cutlers, plans to continue to keep the pressure on politicians to ensure manufacturing can thrive.
“We need Government to recognise the potential of our manufacturing base, and not trip us up by undermining our ability to compete through inadequate infrastructure, ill-considered regulation and uncompetitive energy prices,” he said.
“Manufacturing is still this region’s future. The Government needs to deliver the balanced economy that we deserve by focusing on value streams that require our integrity, expertise, knowledge, engineering excellence and by continuing to innovate and develop new processes and product lines that outperform the competition.”
At his installation ceremony, Evenort chief executive Mr McKay said: “Like every Master Cutler that has gone before me, I am passionate about manufacturing – my livelihood depends on it – and I am passionate about this city.
“Sheffield City Region is the best and still the place for expertise in metals and manufacturing. I am passionate about this Company. It is a unifying force and one of the most relevant business organisations for manufacturers and makers in this region.”
He sees heritage preserved by the Company as being an important factor in any Master’s term of office but of equal importance is ‘relevance’. “To me it’s about doing business in the region now and ensuring that we are fit to do business in the future. It’s about having relevant people in the room, sharing best practice, learning from each other and working together.”
“At the heart of this Company are the 355 Freemen, 52 Friends and their businesses. As the Company gets stronger so does our influence and voice. The company’s objective is after all to promote and support manufacturing in the Sheffield City Region.”
Sheffield-born Mr McKay sits on the industrial advisory board of Sheffield Hallam University and on the industrial advisory board of the AMRC Training Centre. He is also trustee of South Yorkshire Community Foundation, trustee of Museums Sheffield, and chairman of the Herbert Hughes Memorial Foundation.
