Commentary Archive

"Increasing R&D spend is not only a good 'lead' indicator of successes yet to come, it is also a signal of business confidence."

"Our organic growth strategy has allowed us to build a continuously profitable business with an annual turnover in excess of £175m."

"Ultra, with its UK teaming partner GKN, has developed a revolutionary new system for protecting aircraft structures from ice build up during flight."

"Smith & Nephew is a global medical devices business. We place a very high value on new products..... twenty percent of sales were new products developed in the last three years...we take research and development very seriously. "

"To remain at the forefront of innovation AVEVA is investing nearly 20% of sales in R&D and then has an operating profit of just over 10% of sales."

"It is nevertheless this link between science, engineering and technology (SET), R&D, and wealth creation, which is often a pre-requisite for success."

"The UK Aerospace industry relies absolutely upon a vibrant research and technology base to remain competitive."

"Innovation is the principal source of wealth creation and we need a good supply of well-trained scientists, passionate about research, if we are to compete successfully."

" The share price effects of a growth strategy based largely on acquisitions are examined for a broad spectrum of manufacturing companies."

"Manufacturing excellence is merely a requirement for survival, not a guarantee of long-term success."

"In recent years UK companies in the quoted engineering, automotive and aerospace sectors have spent more on acquisitions than on R&D and capital investment combined."

"The product is the medium by which knowledge-intensive industries deliver the fruits of their intellectual capital."

"London, as a financial centre, has long been supportive of R&D-heavy businesses"