Swindon’s small and medium-sized manufacturers are being urged to take part in a major survey to gauge the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on industry.
The resected quarterly Manufacturing Barometer – the largest survey of its type in England – has just gone live and is inviting companies to highlight the issues they are facing and the support they need to overcome them. 
Manufacturers are being asked to highlight changes in production volumes, difficulties in retaining employees, supply chain disruption and any major ‘pivots’ they are doing to supply new markets, including answering the government’s call for more medical equipment, such as ventilators.
The barometer is organised by manufacturing sector support group SWMAS (South West Manufacturing Advisory Service) and the Manufacturing Growth Programme (MGP).
SWMAS director Simon Howes, pictured, said: “Big businesses have their voice, but in these unprecedented times it is important that we give SMEs a platform to have their say on the current coronavirus crisis.
“Our quarterly Manufacturing Barometer gives them this exact chance and we are looking for hundreds of firms to take part before it closes on April 17.
“The information will be communicated directly to government so will hopefully inform future policy and support as we continue to get to grips with Covid-19 and its wide-reaching ramifications.
“We want as many companies to take part so we’re asking everyone in industry to spread the message.”
The previous Barometer revealed that confidence among the South West’s small and medium-sized manufacturers had bounced back following the breaking of the Brexit impasse. 
It also showed that while the sector ended 2019 by enduring its toughest quarter in a decade – with the worst reduction in sales, profits and staff numbers since the depth of the recession – it enjoyed a marked turnaround earlier this year.
However, the rapid spread of coronavirus across the globe has had a huge impact on manufacturing, with many plants, including car giants Honda and BMW in Swindon, closing completely or reducing production – with a devastating knock-on effect on smaller firms in the supply chain.
Last week SWMAS began offering support to regional businesses that may be able to switch their production lines to help reduce the UK’s shortfall of vital medical equipment.
In a change to its normal release of information, initial findings from early responses to the survey will be revealed next Thursday, April 2.
Within 24 hours of going live, SWMAS received more than 150 responses for the Barometer. “It seems that companies are keen to put their views across,” added Mr Howes.
The full Barometer results will come out at the end of the month to highlight how SME manufacturers are adapting and the ongoing challenges and opportunities they are facing.
The survey takes just five minutes to complete and can be filled in online here
