5G revolution could boost UK manufacturing by over £6bn

The economy could be over £6bn better off in 2030 as a result of the rollout of 5G across the manufacturing sector, with the biggest benefits being felt in the places the Government wants to “level up”.

According to a new report by Vodafone, faster and more reliable 5G mobile technology has the potential to supercharge productivity in the UK manufacturing sector, reducing delays on the assembly line and enabling the factories of the future to produce a whole range of vital products much more quickly and efficiently.

The report found that if take-up of 5G in the UK manufacturing sector increases at the rate that evidence from the US suggests is possible, that could add £6.3 billion a year to manufacturing GVA by 2030.

Digital infrastructure minister Matt Werman said that 5G could “change the way Britain builds”.

The 5G manufacturing revolution is key to the roll out of Electric Vehicles, a priority for the government as it looks to shift people away from diesel and petrol cars, with the sale of new models to be banned from 2030.

The shift would also be key to helping to “level up”, as the areas which are set to see the largest relative gains from the new tech are the parts of the country most reliant on manufacturing.

Warman added: “5G can change the way Britain builds and we’ve sparked a wave of innovation in UK manufacturing through our £200m 5G trials scheme. 

“We’ve seen driverless vehicles at Nissan’s Sunderland plant, VR at BAM Nutall building sites in Scotland and Vodafone boosting laser-welding robots in Essex. 

“The benefits of 5G for improving productivity, efficiency and safety in our manufacturing sector and beyond are clear, and Vodafone’s report is a ringing endorsement of how this revolutionary technology can help us build back better from the pandemic.”

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