We are delighted to share that the first event in the new Assembly series was hosted at Temple 1852, in Bristol on 22 September 2026. It brought together business leaders and industry peers to explore one of the biggest questions facing the sector: what does the future hold for UK manufacturing?
Hosted by TEDx speaker, psychologist and futurist Dr Graham Norris, the pilot event created a space for open discussion around uncertainty, long-term planning and how to consider the forces that could shape UK industry over the coming years.
Rather than attempting to predict exactly what the future will look like, the discussion focused on a different approach: how can businesses prepare for a range of possible futures?
The event was Sponsored by Agilebase in Partnership with The Peer Space.
Planning for uncertainty
One of the key themes was the challenge of making long-term decisions when nobody can know with certainty what lies ahead.
From technological change and shifting global supply chains to changes in ownership and investment, businesses are operating in an increasingly complex environment. The discussion explored the value of considering multiple possible outcomes — and building the flexibility and resilience needed to respond when circumstances change.
This led to a broader conversation about the future of UK manufacturing itself. If successful UK businesses continue to reach a certain level of growth before being acquired by international organisations, particularly those based in the US or China, what could that mean for the long-term strength, ownership and capability of the UK manufacturing sector?
There were no simple answers, but it raised an important question: how do we create an environment where UK manufacturing businesses can grow, collaborate and retain value within the UK?
Connecting the manufacturing ecosystem
Another important theme was the need to bring businesses and supply chains closer together.
For organisations looking to engage with manufacturers, one of the challenges is simply getting in front of the right people. Greater collaboration across the manufacturing ecosystem could help businesses identify opportunities, strengthen supply chains and create more connected networks of expertise and capability.
The conversation highlighted that building those connections isn’t necessarily about having all the answers — it is about creating the opportunities for the right people to meet, share ideas and identify where they can work together.
Bringing people together
The pilot event brought together a small group of peers and business leaders for an open and informal discussion, followed by lunch provided by local cafe, Double Puc.
The conversations continued over lunch, with attendees sharing experiences, perspectives and ideas.
As the first of five events in the Assembly series, the session was ultimately about starting the conversation — creating a forum where people can step away from the day-to-day and think about what might be coming next for their businesses, their industries and UK manufacturing more broadly.
The future may be uncertain, but understanding the possibilities — and being prepared to respond to them — is something businesses can actively work towards.
With feedback from the delegates, Assembly will continue with four further events which will endeavour to deep dive into subsets of manufacturing including, connecting supply chains, technology and business. To stay informed of our next event in the series or to be added to our mailing list, simply email emily@agilebase.co.uk.