Made in Britain unveils the 2026 Impact Awards shortlist
Aaron Blutstein 19 October 2026 
From businesses with over 200 years of manufacturing heritage to those developing cutting-edge technologies for electric vehicles and industrial maintenance, the shortlist for the UK’s “most ambitious” manufacturing awards has been revealed.
The Made in Britain 2026 Impact Awards will see manufacturers from across the UK compete in eight categories celebrating sustainability, social impact, innovation, heritage, marketing, procurement, exporting and leadership.
Taking place on Wednesday 4th November, this year’s ceremony will celebrate the remarkable breadth of British manufacturing. The shortlist spans precision engineering, advanced acoustic technology, water filtration and electronics, alongside manufacturers specialising in skincare, accessible playground equipment, lighting, architectural terracotta and the iconic lava lamp.
John Pearce, CEO of Made in Britain, said: “The 2026 Impact Awards shortlist captures British manufacturing at its most dynamic, and certainly its most ambitious. We have businesses drawing on generations of accumulated knowledge alongside manufacturers pushing into technologies such as advanced acoustics and precision engineering. The sheer range of expertise represented is truly extraordinary.
“What is particularly exciting is how readily manufacturing heritage and emerging technology now sit side by side. Long-established expertise continues to evolve, while newer manufacturers are building the skills and technologies that could become part of our next generation of manufacturing heritage.
“The sheer breadth of this shortlist proves there is no single measure of impact in British manufacturing. Whether through innovation, leadership, exports or the contribution businesses make to their communities, these manufacturers are creating value in remarkably different ways. We are immensely proud to bring them together through the Impact Awards and to celebrate the people and ideas shaping what British manufacturing becomes next.”
The Made in Britain Impact Awards recognises manufacturers across eight categories: Sustainability Initiative of the Year, Social Impact in Manufacturing, Innovation of the Year, Heritage Manufacturer of the Year, Marketing Campaign of the Year, Excellence in Procurement, Heroes of British Export and Inspiring Leader of the Year.
Organised and hosted by not-for-profit trade organisation Made in Britain, the awards are open exclusively to manufacturers that have gained the right to use the internationally recognised Made in Britain trademark, which 70% of UK adults surveyed by YouGov said would make them more likely to purchase a non-food product.
To explore the full shortlist, please visit: www.madeinbritain.org/news/the-shortlist-impact-awards-2026-sept-26
