Matthew Barton recognised in Make UK 130 Honours

So, what are the 130 Honours?

The 130 Honours recognise people from across the manufacturing industry who are helping to shape its future through their achievements, innovation, influence, and leadership.

The list includes individuals from businesses of all sizes, from smaller manufacturers through to larger organisations, as well as people working across the wider manufacturing supply chain.

The Honours recognise a wide range of contributions, from developing new technologies and improving production, to championing skills, sustainability and innovation.

It's a pretty impressive group to be part of. See the full list here

Looking beyond today

For us at Bensons, the recognition is particularly meaningful because we're passionate about the future of UK manufacturing.

We've been designing and manufacturing control panels in the UK for decades, and we're proud to still be doing so today. But maintaining a successful manufacturing business isn't just about looking at what we're doing now. It’s about considering what our customers, our people and the wider industry will need in the years ahead.

Matthew has played an important role in that at Bensons, helping to develop the business while maintaining a focus on the people and values that have been important to us throughout our history.

That includes investing in our manufacturing capabilities, embracing new technology, and continually looking for ways to improve how we work.

But perhaps most importantly, it means investing in people.

Supporting the next generation

We know that the future of UK manufacturing depends on having the right skills and giving people the opportunity to develop them

That's why we've continued to invest in our apprenticeship programme and the development of our existing team. Our apprentices are gaining practical experience alongside their training, learning from people with decades of engineering and manufacturing knowledge.

We're also investing in individual training plans, lean manufacturing and continuous improvement, helping people throughout the business develop their skills and contribute new ideas.

It's something we see as a long-term investment.

The engineers and manufacturers starting their careers today will be the people shaping the industry tomorrow.

Engineering the future

The manufacturing industry is changing quickly, with new technologies, new energy systems, and new approaches to production creating both challenges and opportunities.

We're seeing that at Bensons too.

Alongside our established control panel work, we’re increasingly supporting projects in areas such as EV charging infrastructure, commercial solar and emerging technologies including hydrogen.

For us, engineering the future means bringing together experience and new ideas.

Our 60-year history gives us a huge amount of knowledge to draw on, but we're not interested in simply doing things because that's how they've always been done.

We're interested in finding better ways to do them.

That’s why the Make UK 130 Honours is so important. It recognises the people helping to move manufacturing forward, while reminding us of our responsibility to keep investing in the industry and those who will shape its future.

Congratulations to Matthew and to all of the other people recognised in the Make UK 130 Honours.

We're proud to see Bensons represented and proud to be part of UK manufacturing.

Well done, Matthew!