Enginuity gets a closer look at Cornwall's thriving manufacturing sector

Following the Cornwall Manufacturing Awards 2026, members of Enginuity's Engagement Team got out to meet some of the businesses that are at the heart of Cornwall's manufacturing success.

The visits were arranged by Eric Nicholls, Managing Director at Spiral UK and CEO of the Cornwall Manufacturers Group (CMG), who has recently been appointed to the Enginuity Group Board of Trustees. The visits were a great opportunity to get the team in touch with local employers and to highlight the range of manufacturing that was going on in the county.

A focus on people

The team visited a number of CMG member organisations, including St Eval and Flann Microwave. Each offered something different, giving the team a real sense of the variety of work taking place across the county.

Whilst the technology and innovation on display was impressive, the one thing that really came through was that manufacturing is only as good as its people.

As technology continues to transform the way we work, it's equally important to ensure that the workforce can grow and develop with it. That means providing people with the right training, the right skills and the right opportunities to keep up with the changing sector.

The team also looked at how we can get more people interested in engineering and manufacturing careers. That means going beyond the standard school visits and careers fairs. Parents, carers, families and wider community groups all have a role to play in helping people to discover the opportunities that are out there and to see where a career in that sector might take them.

Building skills together

There was also discussion about how employers, supply chains and government can work together to deal with the skills issue.

Businesses need a voice in the shaping of the training and education that's available, and better use of employer insight and evidence can go a long way to ensuring that the future skills pathways actually reflect what the sector needs.

This visit follows earlier trips to visit Cornwall’s thriving manufacturing sector. Earlier this year, we spent time with local manufacturers to produce a short film celebrating the county's engineering and manufacturing community, exploring the people, businesses and partnerships helping it thrive. 

In August, Teagle Machinery in Truro also welcomed us for our first-ever Vocational Celebration Day, bringing together learners and employers from across the UK to celebrate vocational skills and achievements.

A massive thank you to Eric, the Cornwall Manufacturers Group and everyone who welcomed us. It was a fantastic opportunity to get out and meet the people who are actually driving the success of manufacturing in Cornwall and a real reminder of just how much there is to be proud of in the sector.

Watch now: Inside Cornwall's thriving manufacturing sector