Manufacturers are reshoring, so why do they still need translation services?

In a post-pandemic world, British manufacturers are struggling to stay afloat amidst rising interest rates, upward pressure on wages, and increasingly complex global supply chains. With these economic challenges, many in the manufacturing industry have opted to move operations from offshore locations back home, an effort known as reshoring. 

While offshoring has been the norm for British manufacturing since the 1980s due to cheaper costs, the recent challenges of Brexit and the logistical and shipping issues of the global pandemic have made reshoring a more viable option. 

As manufacturers in the United Kingdom bring their operations back home, they may think that they no longer require language support. However, with the increasing diversity of the manufacturing and logistics workforces, there is still a demand for translation services.

Let’s go through some key reasons why your manufacturing company still needs translation services.

The Diversity of Manufacturing

Manufacturing is one of the most diverse industries in the UK; migrant workers compose 19% of the manufacturing workforce. In the transport and storage sector, migrant workers make up 27% of the workforce. While these workers will have some basic English proficiency, the reality is that this proficiency is limited and this language barrier can complicate communication in the industry.  

Here’s where translation services become indispensable, as accurate translation services can be crucial to ensure effective communication and operation of manufacturing plants. 

Health and Safety

Robust Health and Safety procedures are crucial in manufacturing environments, where the risk of accidents and injuries can be high. The nature of the manufacturing sector is that it relies heavily on clear and precise communication to prevent these injuries and accidents.

Having comprehensive translation of health and safety documents ensures that all workers, regardless of their language proficiency, understand the procedures and guidelines that keep them safe. This includes machinery operation manuals, emergency evacuation plans, chemical handling instructions, and workplace safety regulations. Technical documentation translation is important here to ensure that such documents are correctly translated, as manufacturing translation differs from basic translation and requires a wide set of specialist knowledge of the correct technical terms. 

Furthermore, migrant workers also often hold roles with greater health and safety risks; factory and machine operators as well as drivers and mobile machine operators are among the top 10 occupations with the highest share of migrant workers. 

The importance of having clear communication on health and safety cannot be understated; miscommunication or misunderstanding in this area can lead to severe consequences, including workplace accidents, injuries, or even fatalities. Having translated health and safety information is often a regulatory compliance issue in manufacturing, but more than that, it is also a moral and practical necessity.

Human Resources

Some other resources and documentation that benefit from being translated include HR resources. This includes employment contracts, company policies, benefits information, and training programs. 

Moreover, a diverse workforce requires HR policies that are inclusive and supportive. This fosters a more inclusive and harmonious workplace, aligning with the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). In a study done by Make UK, it was found that only 67% of manufacturers have a DEI strategy or are planning one, a worrying statistic considering the diversity of the industry. 

Adopting a DEI stance means recognising the value of a diverse workforce and ensuring that all employees, regardless of English proficiency, have access to the resources they need to succeed. This includes providing HR support in a language that migrant workers can best understand. Translation services enable HR departments to communicate effectively with all employees, ensuring they are informed about their rights, responsibilities, and available support systems.

Investing in Upskilling

As the manufacturing industry evolves rapidly and we move into Industry 4.0, upskilling and continuous learning are becoming increasingly crucial to stay afloat. Manufacturers are investing in training programs to enhance the skills of their workforce, including migrant workers. 

These training programs often involve complex technical content, which will need to be translated for migrant workers. Providing translated training materials ensures that all employees have equal opportunities to develop their skills and advance their careers, rather than based on their English proficiency. This not only contributes to DEI initiatives, by ensuring upskilling opportunities are accessible to all but is also beneficial to the companies. 

At the end of the day, a skilled workforce is more productive, innovative, and capable of adapting to new technologies and processes! 

External Translation Needs

Most of the translation needs outlined above are internal translation needs, which facilitate communication within the manufacturing organisation. However, there are also some external translation needs, even with many manufacturers reshoring manufacturing operations back to the UK. Despite the current trend towards reshoring, export activities of these manufacturers still signals a clear need for packaging and label translations for international clients. According to a 2020 survey conducted on global consumers worldwide, more than three-quarters prefer to buy products with information in their native language, showing the need for these packaging and labelling translation services. 

In a similar vein, there’s a clear need for translations of marketing materials as well, whether it is the product website or marketing campaigns and collateral. These translations will help increase product visibility in foreign markets, which is key, as the same survey found that 40% of online shoppers will never buy from websites that are not in their native language.

Persistent Language Needs Amidst Manufacturing’s Reshoring Movement

Even as manufacturers reshore their operations, it is clear the need for translation services remains significant. In the UK, the East Midlands has emerged as a hub for manufacturing, particularly in the food and beverage sector. This region attracts a diverse workforce, including a substantial number of migrant workers and manufacturing companies here will need to cater to a multilingual workforce to maintain efficient operations and support their employees effectively. Given the exporting activities of British manufacturers, there is a need for multilingual marketing materials as well. 

Here at AST Language Services, we have over 20 years of experience supporting manufacturers in the East Midlands and wider UK with our suite of manufacturing translation services. 

With years of experience and a deep understanding of industry terminology, we provide services for label translation, website translation, multilingual training, and more. Reach out today to learn more!