Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg MP yesterday visited pioneering recycling company 2K Manufacturing in Luton where he talked about the importance of green job creation and innovation. His party is calling for better bank financing of green businesses to support a 'fairer and greener economy'.
2K Manufacturing's CEO Omer Kutluoglu, who has encountered problems with bank financing in the past, hosted the visit, explained to Nick Clegg how they produce EcoSheet, a plywood replacement made entirely from waste plastic, and about its environmental and economic benefits to a variety of industries including the construction industry.
Omer strongly believes that it will be green manufacturing and Britain's ability to innovate that will take this country out of recession:
"Britain led the world in manufacturing and engineering in years gone by and we have the opportunity to do the same once again. Our country has the exceptional young talent to innovate, create, and engineer world-beating advanced green technologies. We are nurturing this formidable resource of our outstanding British engineering heritage to build a brilliant new generation of manufacturing company. And already far flung corners of the world are looking to Luton for a solution to common problems. Even in these challenging times, the future of British manufacturing has never had greater potential."
"Future governments need to support both the industry and the talent pool in terms of investment and financial and legislative support. We also need to develop a whole employment strategy for the green manufacturing sector. Our vision is to increase green jobs, stimulate green manufacturing and offer apprenticeships to help the next generation of world-beating British companies. Only then can we get ourselves out of this recession and start the new Post-Industrial Revolution."
Nick Clegg continues "2k is exactly the sort of green, job-creating British business that we need to be helping during the recession. Sadly Omer's experience with the banks is part of a disturbing trend. The Government is choking the recovery by allowing the banks that we all bailed out to withhold loans from viable firms.
Only the Liberal Democrats will get the banks lending responsibly again. The taxpayers' representatives on the boards of the banks the public own or part-own should insist banks lend to viable businesses on fair terms."