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The year of 2021 was a challenging one for the manufacturing industry, with the global chip shortage and ongoing Covid pandemic having a severe impact on manufacturers. Despite this, there is optimism for 2022. In December 2021, it was revealed by IHS Markit/CIPS UK Manufacturing PMI that manufacturing output, new orders and employment all rose, resulting in a strong end to the year. But will this momentum continue this year, and what can we expect to see over the course of 2022 and beyond? Pandemic response becomes post-pandemic strategy The past two years has taught us two things. First, that the impact of the pandemic will be with us for some time to come, perhaps indefinitely. Second, that the proverbial black swan events can, and indeed will, happen eventually. That means we not only need to make permanent some of the rapid changes recently made, and make them more robust and operationally sound, but we need to rethink many parts of our business operations. How flexible are they? How robust are they? And how are they able ...