MANUFACTURING has a strong future but there will be casualties along the way, director general of the Institute of Directors Miles Templeman warned on a visit to Worcester.

Accompanied by regional director John Phillips and a party of representatives from the IoD and development agency Advantage West Midlands, Mr Templeman visited Worcester Bosch, the Morgan Motor Company at Malvern Link and new facilities for Worcester University.

Touring Worcester Bosch, the domestic heating and hot water products manufacturer, he hailed the firm as an example for others to follow.

He was also upbeat about the overall state of the manufacturing sector. “We are doing better than people give us credit for,” he said. “There is still a lot produced in this country and indeed a lot produced by the car industry. I am very positive about our manufacturing sector. There are going to be winners and losers. We need new technologies and new businesses coming through. Some of the old industries where they are unable to compete will end up going.”