Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the process of transforming raw materials into finished goods through various processes while maintaining economic, environmental, and social sustainability.
Scotland’s manufacturing spans from heritage sectors like whisky, textiles, and timber to advanced industries including satellites, aquaculture, life sciences, and heat pumps.
Key facts: Manufacturing in Scotland
Gross Value Added (GVA) to Scotland's economy in 2023:
Percentage of Scotland's international exports:
Percentage of manufacturing businesses engaged in innovative activities in past three years:
Learn more about the Scottish Government’s long-term vision and strategy for manufacturing
Manufacturing a circular economy
The circular economy offers a sustainable alternative to the traditional linear model of "take, make, waste". If you're involved in manufacturing in Scotland, especially in a leadership or strategic role, now is the time to:
- Explore circular design and production models to reduce waste and increase product lifecycle.
- Engage with government and industry bodies for support and collaboration.
- Invest in innovation and workforce development to stay competitive in high-growth sectors.
- Consider remanufacturing and resource efficiency as pathways to profitability and sustainability.
How to apply circular economy principles in manufacturing
Design for Longevity & Reuse: Create products that last longer, are easy to repair, upgrade, or reuse. Use modular design and standardised components to simplify disassembly and remanufacturing.
Use Renewable & Recycled Materials: Prioritise bio-based, recycled, or sustainably sourced materials, and reduce reliance on virgin resources.
Optimise Resource Efficiency: Reduce energy, water, and material use by implementing lean manufacturing and closed-loop systems.
Offer Products as a Service: Move from selling products to providing services such as leasing or maintenance, keeping responsibility for the product lifecycle.
Implement Reverse Logistics: Collect used products for refurbishment, remanufacturing, or recycling to recover valuable materials and components.
Leverage Digital Technologies: Use internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and blockchain to track materials, monitor product health, and optimise resource flows. Reduce downtime and waste with digital twins and predictive maintenance.
Circular opportunities being explored in Scotland
Remanufacturing
Offers potential for significant job creation and revenue growth.
Construction Materials Reuse
Circular practices in the built environment are gaining traction.
Food & Bioeconomy
Identified as high-impact sectors for circular innovation.
Critical Raw Materials
Focus on reducing dependency on virgin materials and improving recovery from waste streams.
Tools and resources
Access practical guidance, toolkits, and support to help your business implement circular economy principles.
Circular Glasgow ACTS Toolkit
The Circular Glasgow ACTS Toolkit tackles the unique challenges SMEs face when adopting more sustainable practices.
Scottish Enterprise Net Zero Accelerator Tool
The Scottish Enterprise Net Zero Accelerator Tool can help your organisation to create a roadmap to reducing its harmful emissions to net zero.
Support from external organisations
Connect with organisations that provide expertise, training, and research in circular manufacturing.
National Manufacturing Institute Scotland
The National Manufacturing Institute Scotland helps manufacturers of all sizes, and from all sectors, seize the opportunity to realise their net-zero ambitions by making it easier to develop and embrace new technologies while de-risking innovation, and supporting them in their efforts to transition to a low carbon economy.
Scottish Institute for Remanufacturing
The Scottish Institute for Remanufacturing supports the remanufacturing community in Scotland and beyond, by providing collaborative links between academia and industry, supporting funding opportunities, through education and training, and providing a central hub of knowledge and expertise to allow business to develop and sustain remanufacturing business models.
Helping businesses in manufacturing become more circular
What does being circular really mean for manufacturing? It’s about extending the lifespan of assets, recovering high-value materials, and remanufacturing products to keep them in use for as long as possible. With decades of experience helping manufacturers move to more circular practices, Colin Kennedy, Zero Waste Scotland’s Manufacturing Lead, shares his advice on how you can start.
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