The Cast Metals Federation (CMF) has responded to the recent Government consultation on the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS) with a renewed call to include light metal and non-ferrous foundries in the scheme.
Following calls from the CMF and its members the Government widened the scope of the scheme to include iron and steel casting (SIC codes 2451 and 2452) and CMF believes that should be extended to all casting.
The CMF has backed its submission up with a letter to Minister for Trade, Chris McDonald, outlining the key role all foundries play in the manufacturing supply chain and how high energy costs put British casting at a severe competitive disadvantage on the global stage
CMF Chief Executive, Lee Marshall said “UK metal casting is genuinely world leading and strategically significant to the resilience of multiple supply chains, but high energy costs are hampering its ability to compete globally for larger volume work. We have seen recent support going towards the production end of metals, and this makes sense for several reasons. But if support does not flow down to the midstream then the sovereignty and other gains that production support achieves are lost as midstream manufacturing potentially goes abroad.”
CMF has consistently emphasised that metal casting is a critical link between the UK’s foundational industries and its priority manufacturing sectors. Most foundries supply multiple markets, including defence, advanced manufacturing and energy, and rely on energy-intensive processes regardless of the materials they cast.
Mr Marshall added “The policy support that BICS would provide light metal and non-ferrous foundries would assist in unlocking further investment and export markets and we encourage Government to ensure eligibility of BICs reflects the practical reality our members face and to include them in the scheme”.
