'Give business leaders some help in this Budget'

Gerry Dunne said manufacturing "desperately" needs more government investment

A metal-pressing firm has called on the government to invest in manufacturing in the Budget.

Gerry Dunne, a director at Pre-Met in Redditch, Worcestershire, said "the whole of industry" is worried about what could be in store.

"We need to hear something positive because the costs of running any business have risen so much," he said. "Over the last two or three years we've seen a decline in the requirement for parts that we make."

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is facing having to make "tough choices" in her second Budget following reports plans to raise income tax have been abandoned.

The decline for parts was not just domestically, but also from abroad, Mr Dunne said. "Then we see the rising prices for materials and energy costs, and that begins to make business uneconomical.

"Not one 'thing' will fix everything - but the government can use this Budget to recognise that manufacturing is the backbone of the UK."

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Pre-Met was launched in 1973 and turns over £6m a year, selling specialised metals to scores of countries for use in industries like transport and electronics.

Mr Dunne said they were also worried about a 'brain drain' of older people retiring from manufacturing, and not being replaced by young people.

"There's an issue with the amount of people who are leaving manufacturing because they are nearing retirement, but we don't see the younger people coming in," he said.

"We've got an industry that will be struggling with a lack of skilled young people in the medium to long-term.

"The government needs to look at investing in skills, and put more money into making sure we've got enough skilled people in 10 years or 20 years' time."

The government is investing a record £1.2bn into addressing skills gaps in the economy, including creating 120,000 new training opportunities.

A spokesperson for the Treasury said the government was "pro-business" and was also focused on "reforming business rates".

"The tax decisions we took last year mean that we have been able to deliver on the priorities of the British people - from investing in the NHS to cutting waiting lists and putting more money in their pockets with a wage boost for millions," it said.