A lot of water has passed under the bridge since then and the world is a much different place. We have seen the establishment of the Electronics Leadership Council and its demise, the establishment of the UK Electronics Alliance and, more recently, its replacement by the Electronics Systems Community, or ESCO.
ESCO was launched with a flourish two years ago, with a report – 'A Blueprint for Economic Growth' – based on extensive research into a number of areas. The report pointed out the value of electronics to the UK's economy; not just in numbers, but also in terms of its pervasiveness.
It set targets to grow employment in the electronic systems sector by 150,000 to 1million by 2020. It also called for the sector's annual contribution to GDP to grow from £80billion to £120bn in the same period, the latter figure representing 7.1% of the UK's economy.
At the time, the targets looked challenging; two years on, it seems the UK's electronic systems sector has responded. A recent update to ESCO's market statistics shows the sector now employs more than 1m people and that the GDP contribution is close to £100bn – figures that can only be applauded.
While this special issue of New Electronics takes a short look back to the EIGT Report, it endeavours to look forward, highlighting the innovation being done in the UK and opportunities that companies might take advantage of. It looks at support for companies looking to export and at relationships between industry and academia.
What we see is an industry which is, in general, positive about the future. Perhaps the best indication of this is the number of small companies identified by ESCO. It says there are more than 36,000 companies with four or fewer employees in the sector– 60% more than two years ago. "It's a sign of an improving economy and the fact that companies are now more confident," says ESCO's chief executive Peter Brooks.
What a difference a decade makes.
