2018 looks to be the year of the British manufacturer and with Bristol continuing to prove itself as an international hub for the world of engineering, this is surely the perfect time to take your idea to market. At the time of writing, the UK has the largest design industry in Europe and comes only second on a global scale.

But doesn’t manufacturing in the UK cost too much? This can be true, simply due to the cost of labour, but with a little careful planning, alongside careful design tailored to UK manufacture; it is possible to manufacture at a comparable price to that of a classic low-cost manufacturing country, whilst reducing risk. More companies lose traction and fail during the early years than at any other point in their life cycle. Cash flow can be tight, margins can be stretched and if a product is manufactured abroad there is an increased risk of design plagiarism, as well as attempting a relationship with a company in a different time zone and that is costly and difficult to reach.

In many cases the single largest cost of assembly of an electronic product is the labour time/cost to assemble the device. When putting a bill of materials together the “touch time” (the time that a person is required to put into the actual piece being assembled), is often not considered until all the component costs have been calculated. By considering the “touch time” much earlier in the design cycle, you can reduce assembly cost. By automating parts of the manufacture process, even on short-runs, it’s possible to dramatically reduce the unit cost.

With British manufacture, you can be assured you’ll be receiving instinctive quality standards, considered approach and accessibility to well-trained staff. Working with suppliers closer to home also means:

• Less travel - suppliers located in the same time zone
• Better communication and less margin for error
• Faster and cheaper shipping times
• Simpler supply chain management
• Flexible and more suitable payment and delivery terms

In addition, it may be possible to negotiate a call-off arrangement, with staggered payment terms rather than a single, large order delivered in one drop and paid for up-front, which can often be required by overseas manufacturers.

This being said; the road to a market ready product for any innovative idea is fraught with unforeseen factors and inputs that must be considered from both a legal and financial standpoint. For instance, what compliance testing does your product require to be sold in the EU/US/China? What are the implications of using open-source software? What is the impact of developing an accessory to an iOS app?

This doesn’t mean there isn’t help out there and with every £1 invested into a design business generating a return of £5, it is no surprise to hear substantial grants are available for development of innovative ideas, helping to bring new products and services to market. This on top of the fact that commodity prices are being raised worldwide, is allowing British manufacturing to become truly viable against global competition, meaning this year is truly the time to get your innovative idea off the ground and into market.

Cubik Innovation offers stress-free design consultancy and fixed price project pricing, meaning you can firm up your financial forecasts. In addition, Cubik offer electronic assembly from their site in Bristol, which is geared up for short runs, typically batches of 100-1000. They currently have an inside scope on two grant funds which are a great starting point for anyone looking at product development:

1. Funding of up to £75,000, for the development of innovative ideas, targeted at businesses within the Bristol region.

2. Funding of up to €50,000, to develop and bring to market new products, services and business models, for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

If either of the above grant funds are of interest to you or your company, whether you have an innovative idea you feel requires development or a product you want to get to market, please contact matthew.weatherburn@cubik-innovation.co.uk or call 0117 244 3000.