BHETA’s Chief Operating Officer, Will Jones has again written to the Secretary of State for Business & Trade, the Rt Hon Peter Kyle MP to urge more help for the UK ceramic and tableware industry in response to the Government’s 31st October announcement on energy-intensive industry support. This follows an initial BHETA approach to the Secretary of State earlier in the month.
Outlining the reasons for a second letter, Will said, “While BHETA welcomes the Government’s move to reduce electricity network charges for the most energy-intensive businesses, we still have serious concerns that the measures announced fall short of addressing the full scale of the crisis facing UK ceramics and tableware manufacturers. This is because the announced relief, which is focused primarily on electricity costs and limited in scope, excludes most ceramics producers, who are heavily dependent on gas for kiln operations.
BHETA’s latest intervention calls for Government to build upon the measures announced so far in the forthcoming Spring Budget, urging:
• A broader definition of “energy-intensive industries” to include ceramics and tableware manufacturing, with relief that reflects both electricity and gas usage.
• Transitional cost support for firms currently excluded from the scheme.
• Accelerated investment incentives for decarbonisation technologies in ceramics manufacturing, such as advanced kilns and energy-efficiency projects.
• Enhanced export and innovation funding to help British tableware brands compete internationally.
The Government’s energy-intensive industry support announcement came in response to the Ceramics UK Recovery Plan, an initiative launched in March by Ceramics UK, which represents over 90% of British ceramics manufacturers. Many of BHETA’s supplier members from the ceramics and tableware industry. Will continued, “While the Government’s October announcement was an encouraging first step, for the UK’s tableware and ceramics manufacturers, it does not go far enough. Most of these businesses are gas-kiln based, facing extraordinary energy costs and global competition. Without targeted and timely relief, we risk seeing more closures, job losses and the erosion of skills that have defined Britain’s manufacturing identity for generations. We need to see a clear and timely package of additional measures to stabilise the sector, safeguard jobs, and protect our industrial base.”
In adding its lobbying weight to the issue, BHETA cited recent case studies including the closure of iconic brands such as Moorcroft and Royal Stafford, as well as workforce reduction or production pausing at Steelite International and Wedgewood, all of whom reference soaring and disproportionately high industrial energy prices and levies as a major cause of distress. Two other BHETA members – Denby Pottery and the Portmeirion Group – are also quoted from their latest trading updates as respectively warning about the ongoing challenge of maintaining UK-based production under such sustained cost inflation, and the erosion of competitiveness by structural energy price disparities.
GMB/Nottingham Trent research estimates the sector’s energy bill now exceeds £875 million annually, up from £544 million in 2020—a £330 million rise in just a few years. As BHETA points out every closure or contraction has a ripple effect—on suppliers, logistics, retail, apprenticeships, and communities. The loss of skills in design, glazing, and kiln operation are difficult to replace, and if customers shift to overseas suppliers, lost export markets may never return.
Will concluded, “The UK ceramics and tableware sector is a national asset — a source of employment, heritage, and export strength. It deserves recognition and action within the Government’s industrial and energy strategy. We urge the Chancellor to seize the opportunity in the upcoming Budget to secure this vital part of Britain’s manufacturing future.
“BHETA is committed to advocating for its members across the home enhancement industry and working with Government, industry stakeholders and manufacturers to ensure that UK-based tableware and ceramics production remains competitive and sustainable.
