Huddersfield MP Harpreet Uppal is championing the town’s manufacturers.
Ms Uppal has visited a number of Huddersfield’s biggest manufacturers and last month she spoke in a House of Commons debate entitled: ‘Specialist Manufacturing Sector: Regional Economies.’
During the debate Ms Uppal praised Huddersfield’s rich history of textiles and manufacturing and raised many of the issues discussed with her during visits to local businesses.
Since becoming Huddersfield MP in 2024, Ms Uppal has visited the following local companies;
Ms Uppal recently visited textiles manufacturer C&J Antich and toured the factory where her father once worked as a weaver.
She saw the modern machinery and innovations that put the company on the world stage.
Products include what managing director David Antich described as the ‘Ferrari of cloth’, which sells to high end global designers; and innovative fibres used in technology, which allows C&J Antich to diversify and stay ahead of the global market, as well as maintain its position as a market leader in the sector.
Harpreet Uppal at Thomas Broadbent & Sons
During her speech in Parliament, Ms Uppal raised directly to the Minister for Industry, Chris McDonald, that in order to allow Huddersfield’s manufacturers and organisations to grow and recruit locally, the Government must continue to invest in vocational training alongside skills and workforce development.
Ms Uppal also noted the importance of partnerships between industry and education, the issue of increasing energy costs, the ongoing impacts of Brexit on supply chains and cyber-security concerns for business of all sizes.
She added: “If we invest in people, prioritise skills and provide stability for the specialist industries that underpin our economy, we can restore pride and prosperity to the regions that built this country.
“That means creating secure, high-quality jobs. It means keeping our young people in the towns where we grew up, and it means ensuring that the next generation can take pride in the industries that define their communities.”
Speaking after the debate, Ms Uppal said: “Manufacturing is part of Huddersfield’s DNA, and it remains central to our future prosperity.
“From textiles to engineering, our local businesses are competing on the world stage – creating jobs, training apprentices and keeping skills alive in our town.
“My role is to make sure their voices are heard in Parliament and that government policy works for them.
“I know it has been a challenging environment for businesses but I am glad the Government is supporting SMEs by providing free apprenticeship training for under 25-year-olds. This is a significant step.
“That’s why I’ve been meeting directly with local manufacturers – to listen, to learn and to champion their concerns.
“Whether it’s on skills, exports or energy costs, I’ll keep pressing ministers to back Huddersfield’s industry and secure the long-term investment our businesses need to thrive.”
Following the visit to C&J Antich, Mr Antich said he was pleased that manufacturers had the ear of the MP and added: “We had a constructive discussion about how the Government can work with businesses like ours to grow the economy and keep Britain making.”
