Manufacturing & Engineering Newsletter Winter 2026

26 February 2026 - Steven Burgess

Welcome to this Winter edition of our Manufacturing and Engineering newsletter.

As we move towards the end of the first quarter, many of you will already have shifted from planning mode into delivery. Budgets will be set, investment decisions will be underway, and your attention will no doubt now be on performance – protecting margin, managing risk and identifying areas for sustainable growth.

Meanwhile, the global backdrop remains complex. And for manufacturing and engineering businesses across East Anglia, international developments are no longer distant headlines. Cross border trade relationships continue to evolve amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and shifting alliances, all of which has an influence on supply chains, freight routes and cost structures here in the UK.

So, in this edition, we take a practical look at what this changing landscape means for you with articles on:

China, the UK, and the shifting geometry of global trade for manufacturers

Why more manufacturing & engineering firms are outsourcing their bookkeeping

How a 5% slip in profits can cost £1m

A guide to the VAT landscape for UK-EU trade

Research & Development incentives: Turning innovation into real growth

AI and automation in manufacturing and engineering

Case Study: How a first-time acquisition secured growth for a local engineering group

Scrutton Bland Manufacturing & Engineering Newsletter 26

As always, our aim is to provide insight that’s practical, commercially grounded and aligned with the realities facing manufacturing and engineering businesses today.

If there’s a topic you’d like to see covered in future editions then please do let us know.

 

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