Apexis Engineering are based in Derby at the heart of the East Midlands; it’s a busy manufacturing sector in this region with a wide range of activities from brick manufacturing to car production at Toyota.
This article looks at what’s what here in the East Midlands and the key activities that are undertaken here.
The latest news from the region
Despite persistent economic headwinds in 2025 the East Midlands manufacturing sector remains a powerhouse contributing 15% of the region’s output which is well above UK average. Output has rebounded to nearly 8% above pre-pandemic levels but of course challenges remain. The region is not immune to the inflationary pressures that have continued all year with more than half of manufacturers needing to raise prices and recent surveys revealing ongoing recruitment hurdles and squeezed profitability.
In a recent article Chris Corkan, region director of Make UK in the Midlands said: “Conditions remain challenging in the face of considerable uncertainty in global markets, and this is translating into continued weak trading for East Midlands manufacturers. Unfortunately, with UK and European markets in particular remaining anaemic, it wouldn’t take much to knock prospects for further growth. It’s therefore essential that the Government unlocks every policy in its armoury to try and boost the domestic economy at the very least.”
Confidence is supported by continued investment intentions, government strategies boost advanced manufacturing, net zero innovation and infrastructure. There’s also £4.6 billion government investment plan designed to create , jobs and catalyse further development.
Key manufacturing segments
The latest BDO/Make UK report highlights the regions top three segments:
- Food and drink – 19.9%
- Transport equipment – 13.7%
- Rubber and plastics – 12.8%
These account for nearly half of the regional manufacturing activities; the transport equipment includes the automotive manufacturers and high-tech plastics.
Export performance has remained strong for the region with the EU still the largest destination (43%), Asia & Oceania (30%) and North America (15%) are also important export markets. The region leads the UK in advanced manufacturing, logistics, food production and emerging technologies.
Strategic advantages for the East Midlands
The majority of the East Midlands manufacturers are SMEs which are supported by initiatives like Made Smarter East Midlands that drive digital adoption and skills development. The Midlands Engine Investment Fund and regional skills programs also continue to foster innovation.
The region is home to a range of manufacturers and centres of excellence and Derby particularly was named as the new home for Great British Railways (GBR) as the city has long been considered the home of Britain’s rail industry with manufacturers like Alstom who make trains located here. Other notable manufacturers include Rolls Royce, Boots UK, Caterpillar AND JCB, Samworth Brothers and Dunhelm Group.
Apexis Engineering is superbly positioned in Derby’s city centre enabling us to serve the regions diverse spectrum of manufacturers which plays to our strengths as we are sector agnostic.
Outlook for 2026
Forecasts for next year are a little unpredictable with some regional manufacturers forecasting output falling by 0.6% with cost pressures continuing to persist. There are positive signals for the region and for manufacturing; there is active policy support through government growth strategies targeting a range of areas that are important to manufacturers. Resilience also continues to come from businesses embracing automation, upskilling their team and seeing new export markets beyond those currently served. The East Midlands is well set up to capitalise on the Government’s Modern Industrial Strategy which sets out a bold ten-year vision to drive green growth, advanced manufacturing and life sciences. The region is also set to see the defence spending here with Rolls Royce’s submarine activities. There’s also a strong nuclear industry in the region which is set to spend with SMEs under the new procurement legislation.
Apexis Engineering’s 2026 plans
Here at Apexis Engineering our focus is in the following areas:
- Designing, manufacturing and installing bespoke machinery for manufacturers
- Providing custom equipment for activities like quality control, lifting and moving, maintenance and moving around products.
- Manufacturing brokerage supporting those who need a reliable partner to provide one off or multiple parts or components that are high quality or those looking to onshore their manufacturing
- Assembly services to OEMs who are at capacity or need support launching a new product without investing in a new site or team.
The team are set to provide our mechanical engineering expertise to those in and around the East Midlands. We’ll be supercharging our A game to promote what we do and how we do it to more manufacturers than ever with a service that makes a difference to their operations and people.
If you’d like to talk to Apexis Engineering about your mechanical engineering projects please get in touch today.
