Feature

Reshoring: Five ways manufacturers can address the UK labour gap

For Andy Clarke, Principal SCM Consultant at Columbus, there are five key areas where manufacturers can help enhance and upskill their current workforce to cope with the challenges and exploit the essential benefits of reshoring.

02/02/2026 11:01:38

Historically, UK manufacturers have outsourced many of their operations, but today – due to rising material and labour costs alongside continuing supply chain disruption – over 55 percent of UK manufacturers are reshoring their capabilities.

This reshoring movement is gaining momentum, but it is exacerbating the current labour shortage that the industry is facing, and without action, this will only worsen.

Despite the current UK manufacturing labour shortage costing businesses £6 billion in lost revenue each year, over 65 percent of UK manufacturers have forecasted growth for 2025, and only seven percent plan to achieve this by expanding their workforce. This means UK manufacturers must now prioritise upskilling and workforce culture.

Employees are one of the most important assets to manufacturers, and with the mass movement of reshoring, their workload is going to increase. However, there are some key management and technology solutions that will enable manufacturers to ensure their workforce can keep up with the new pressures, without compromising operations. Here’s how.

Read the full article in DPA's February 2026 issue

Written By Sophia Bell

Sophia Bell is the Group Editor of DPA, Connectivity, and PBSI. She joined the team in 2020 as Assistant Editor after achieving a First-Class Honours BA in English Literature and Film Studies from the University of East Anglia. In her current role, she leads the editorial strategy, driving digital growth and ensuring each title continues to deliver trusted, relevant insight for engineering and manufacturing professionals.