Make UK
Make UK is the UK's primary manufacturing trade association (founded 1896, legal entity EEF Ltd), serving 5,000+ direct member companies across engineering, manufacturing, and technology via a tiered membership model plus advisory, training, apprenticeship, EHS, and policy advocacy services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1896
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Make UK does
Make UK (legal entity: EEF Ltd) is the UK's primary manufacturing industry trade association and employers' body, founded in 1896 as the Engineering Employers' Federation and rebranded to Make UK in 2020. Operating as a company limited by guarantee regulated under Part II of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992, Make UK directly represents 5,000+ member companies and collectively represents approximately 20,000 firms across engineering, manufacturing, technology, and the wider industrial sector, ranging from startups to multinationals. The organization is headquartered in London (Broadway House, Tothill Street, Westminster) with offices in Brussels, Birmingham Technology Hub, and every English region and Wales. Sub-brands include UK Steel, Make UK Defence, Make Venues, Electrify Industry, Make:Modular, and Make UK Apprenticeships.
Make UK operates a tiered membership model — Essentials from £995/year, Enhanced from £5,000/year, and bespoke Add-ons — paired with a multi-service portfolio covering Employment Law & HR advisory, Environment Health & Safety (with NEBOSH, IOSH, IEMA/ISEP accredited training), Net Zero advisory, Productivity Improvement, EU Hub trade compliance, and apprenticeships delivered at the Birmingham Technology Hub. Revenue is supplemented by EHS consultancy subscriptions (£150-£245/month), paid training courses (£625-£1,499), venue hire, and member benefit partnerships (energy procurement via Inspired, insurance via Howden, R&D funding via ABGi, talent acquisition via STR Group, health benefits via Westfield Health, employee benefits via Caboodle). The Technology Hub in Birmingham delivers residential apprenticeships and technical training with a stated 90% retention rate.
Go-to-market is sales-led, leveraging regional advisory boards, direct senior account management, and a multi-channel marketing footprint (website, LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Trustpilot, Force24 email). Member engagement is anchored by flagship events including the National Manufacturing Conference, National Manufacturing Day, the Defence Summit 2026, the National Manufacturing Awards, and the MACH 2026 exhibition at NEC Birmingham. The organization is not a technology company: it does not operate a public API, has no proprietary AI models, and competes on regulatory standing, regional distribution, sector expertise, and member network scale rather than on software or data products.
Make UK firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Make UK
- Legal name
- EEF Ltd
- Website
- https://makeuk.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1896
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Make UK is the UK's primary manufacturing trade association (founded 1896, legal entity EEF Ltd), serving 5,000+ direct member companies across engineering, manufacturing, and technology via a tiered membership model plus advisory, training, apprenticeship, EHS, and policy advocacy services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Make UK industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Manufacturing Trade Association Services
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Workforce Development & Inclusive Employment (Job Training, Placement) (BPAGALAB)
Keywords
Where Make UK is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Make UK business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership fees across three tiers: Essentials from £995/year for basic access, Enhanced from £5,000/year for senior team access and high-profile events, and Add-ons for unparalleled influence and access to strategic counsel.
- Training and Apprenticeship Services: Technical training courses, residential apprenticeships, and professional development programs delivered at the Technology Hub in Birmingham and through employer partnerships.
- EHS Consultancy Services: Environment, Health and Safety consulting including interim staffing, subscription packages from £150/month, and bespoke training solutions.
- Venue Hire: Conference and event facilities at the Technology Hub available at competitive prices for member and non-member organizations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Basic membership with essential services and community access |
| Subscription | Annual | Comprehensive membership with senior team access and premium events |
| Subscription | Annual | Premium tier with exclusive access to CEO and executive strategic counsel |
| Subscription | Monthly | EHS subscription - basic support package |
| Subscription | Monthly | EHS subscription - personalized service with dedicated advisor |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Make UK product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Make UK is the representative voice of UK manufacturing, operating as a membership-based trade association and employers' association (legally EEF Ltd). It delivers tiered membership subscriptions (Essentials, Enhanced, Add-ons), advisory services (employment law & HR, environment/health & safety, net zero, productivity, EU trade), accredited training and apprenticeships delivered at its Birmingham Technology Hub, and policy advocacy representing the sector to government.
Product overview
Make UK is the UK's primary manufacturing industry association and membership organization (trading as EEF Ltd), representing approximately 20,000 companies. The organization offers a multi-tiered membership model (Essentials, Enhanced, Add-ons) providing access to advisory services, training, and industry advocacy. Core service modules include Employment Law & HR Services, Environment Health & Safety Services (with accredited NEBOSH/IOSH/ISEP training), Net Zero Hub, Training & Development (including apprenticeships), Productivity Improvement, and EU Hub. Make UK operates specialist divisions including UK Steel (steel industry trade association), Make UK Defence (defence manufacturers advocacy), and Make Venues (event spaces). Member benefits include energy procurement (Inspired), insurance (Howden), R&D funding (ABGi), talent acquisition (STR Group), and health wellbeing (Westfield Health). The organization hosts major events including MACH exhibition, National Manufacturing Conference, and National Manufacturing Awards.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- UK Steel: Trade association for the UK's steel industry representing the sector's interests to the government
- Make UK Defence
- Make Venues
- Electrify Industry
- Make:Modular
- Make UK Apprenticeships
Products and services
- Make UK Membership Tiered annual membership for UK manufacturers providing access to advisory services, networking, events, policy advocacy, and account management. Three tiers: Essentials (from £995/year), Enhanced (from £5,000/year), and Add-ons for premium strategic counsel.
- Employment Law & HR Services Advisory services helping manufacturers with employment law compliance, workforce management, and employment relations.
- Environment, Health & Safety Services Comprehensive EHS training, consultancy, and management services including NEBOSH, IOSH, and ISEP accredited courses, interim staff support, and subscription packages for ongoing compliance.
- Net Zero Hub Sustainability and decarbonization advisory services helping manufacturers navigate the transition to net zero, including energy efficiency guidance and carbon management.
- Apprenticeship Services End-to-end apprenticeship programs including recruitment, training delivery at the Technology Hub, residential options, and pathways in engineering, manufacturing, and technical roles. Features a 90% retention rate.
- Productivity Improvement Services Advisory services helping manufacturers improve operational efficiency, reduce waste, and enhance productivity through process optimization.
- EU Hub Brexit-related advisory services and guidance helping manufacturers navigate regulatory changes affecting UK-EU trade and supply chains.
- Make UK Defence Specialist division championing UK defence and security manufacturers, offering subscription services (Level 1-3) with networking, intelligence, and business development support.
- UK Steel Division of Make UK representing the interests of UK steel producers, providing trade association services, policy advocacy, and industry representation.
- Make Venues Conference and event venue hire across three UK locations, offering meeting spaces from small teams to large conferences at competitive member rates.
- Technology Hub State-of-the-art training facility in Birmingham offering conference spaces and technical training environments for apprentices and industry events.
Quantifiable outcome
- UK manufacturing contributes £217bn in output and supports 2.6m jobs
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Make UK
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Make UK technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Make UK partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Canada Manufacturers & Exporters (CME)coreBilateral manufacturing alliance agreement signed in Ottawa to strengthen economic cooperation in critical sectors including rare earth minerals, nuclear technology, artificial intelligence, and defence. Aims to boost bilateral trade currently worth £6.5 billion annually between the two nations. Together, the two organizations represent approximately 120,000 businesses across the UK and Canada.
- JBC Skills TrainingcorePartnership to give employers access to a broader, future-focused apprenticeship portfolio spanning engineering, manufacturing, digital data, AI, productivity tools, and emerging technologies.
- InspiredcoreMember Benefits partner - UK's leading commercial energy and sustainability advisor. Helps manufacturers control energy costs, reduce carbon, achieve net zero, and make ESG disclosures. Ranked UK's number one advisor by Cornwall Insight since 2018.
- HowdencoreMember Benefits partner since 2007 - specialist insurance broker providing tailored insurance solutions for manufacturing businesses. Offers preferential rates, policy enhancements, and risk management support.
- Westfield HealthcoreMember Benefits partner - wellbeing organization with over 100 years experience. Supports manufacturers with Foresight Plan designed specifically for Make UK members, covering 400,000+ customers and 8,000 companies.
- CaboodlecoreMember Benefits partner (formerly Caboodle Technology) - employee benefits and engagement software platform supporting organizations with salary sacrifice schemes, employee discounts, and benefits administration.
- STR GroupcoreMember Benefits partner - voice of UK manufacturing recruitment and staffing solutions. Insignis division recruits for C-Suite, managerial and technical roles across aerospace, automotive, electronics, energy, and technology sectors.
- ABGicoreMember Benefits partner - leading Innovation Funding Advisor providing R&D tax credits, Patent Box, grant funding, and enquiry defence services to maximize innovation claims for manufacturers.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights2 records
Make UK competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks1 record
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Make UK social profiles
Digital presenceMake UK compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance8 records
Make UK financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Make UK leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Make UK subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Make UK funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Make UK M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Make UK
What does Make UK do?
Make UK is the representative voice of UK manufacturing, operating as a membership-based trade association and employers' association (legally EEF Ltd). It delivers tiered membership subscriptions (Essentials, Enhanced, Add-ons), advisory services (employment law & HR, environment/health & safety, net zero, productivity, EU trade), accredited training and apprenticeships delivered at its Birmingham Technology Hub, and policy advocacy representing the sector to government.
Is Make UK a public or private company?
Make UK is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Make UK founded?
Make UK was founded in 1896. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Make UK based?
Make UK is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Make UK make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are training and Apprenticeship Services, EHS Consultancy Services and venue Hire.
Does Make UK have an API?
No public API is recorded for Make UK.
What industry is Make UK in?
Make UK's product category is Manufacturing Trade Association Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGALAB, Workforce Development & Inclusive Employment (Job Training, Placement). Its SIC code is 7361.