Government pledges £120m to support ceramics firms

The government has announced a £120m package to support the UK ceramics sector. Rob Flello, chief executive of industry body Ceramics UK, said he was "delighted" with the news adding that it was "a fantastic recognition of the importance of the UK ceramics industry" The funding includes £60m of capital funding to help manufacturers invest in new equipment to support energy efficiency and long-term sustainability, and a further £60m to cover operational costs. Iain Martin, chief executive of Emma Bridgwater, said it was "positive" after so many rising costs. "We're very grateful for any support we can get," he added. Flello said Ceramics UK had been asked to work with civil servants to design and implement how the scheme would operate. The money would support the industry to ensure it was ready for decades to come, he said. "We've got manufacturers that have been around for many hundreds of years, we want to have manufacturers that are around for the next few hundred years," he added. "It's really about making sure this money is spent wisely and well, and achieves the maximum potential it can. "I'm really delighted for the industry and it's a recognition of how important our industr