Brexit risk for UK manufacturing

This chapter assesses the risk implications to UK-based manufacturers of the UK’s withdrawal (“Brexit”) from the European Union (EU) in 2016, drawing on data generated from 12 semi-structured interviews with senior managers and directors in the advanced manufacturing sector of the West Midlands region of the UK. The UK’s departure from the EU has led to increased socio-economic risk which must be managed. This chapter draws on elements of Kasperson et al.’s (1988) Social Amplification of Risk Framework (SARF) to explore the communication of risk and uncertainty to institutions, during and post Brexit discussions. This chapter then examines the extent to which risk arises from changes to supply chains and production regimes and consequently the management of risk.