Cumbria Community Foundation - Furness: Opportunities and Challenges 2021

F U R N E S S – O P P O R T U N I T I E S & C H A L L E N G E S 29 Employment Manufacturing is central to the Furness economy. The sector employs 26.1% 1 of the workforce, more than three times the national average. 1 BAE Systems is the area’s largest employer with a 9,000-strong workforce. It supports many more jobs in its supply chain. Alongside BAE, the area is also home to a cluster of advanced manufacturing businesses in the electronics, defence and subsea sectors such as Oxley Developments, Marl, Forge Europa, Siemens and Rovtech Solutions. Other notable manufacturers include Kimberly Clark’s paper mill and the candlemaker Wax Lyrical. Ulverston’s biggest employer over seven decades has been its pharmaceutical manufacturing plant, currently operated by GlaxoSmithKline. In early 2021, it was announced that the business was being sold to German company Sandoz, with the site likely to close by 2025. Beyond manufacturing, the next biggest employers by sector are health (15.8% of the workforce) and retail (10.6%). 1 The energy sector is significant too with a gas terminal at Rampside and a burgeoning offshore wind industry serviced through the Port of Barrow. Ørsted’s Walney Extension was for a time the largest offshore windfarm in the world and supplies electricity for nearly 600,000 homes. However, energy is not labour intensive and employs a relatively small number of people. The international shipping operator James Fisher & Sons is based in Barrow. O P P O R T U N I T I E S n Strong manufacturing sector with a highly- skilled workforce. n Potential to foster dynamic start-ups such as Lakes BioScience. n Potential to create additional employment in tourism in Low Furness. Challenges: n Barrow is heavily dependent on BAE Systems for employment and would be vulnerable if workflow to the shipyard was to reduce substantially. n Ensuring that schools and colleges continue to supply the skilled workers that employers need, given that the working-age population is shrinking. n Supporting people to overcome barriers to learning so that they can take advantage of good quality employment. n Agriculture sector, important in High Furness especially, is facing structural changes to markets and subsidy regime following Brexit. n Business start up rates are low indicating a lack of innovation and enterprise. n Creating a diverse economy that supports a range of opportunities including the arts, culture, creative industries and the visitor economy.