The UK has a clear plan for growth. But does it have the operational capacity to deliver it?
New research commissioned by DHL Supply Chain suggests many of the businesses expected to drive growth across advanced manufacturing, life sciences, energy and infrastructure, and data centres are facing mounting capacity pressures. While demand continues to rise, concerns around workforce availability, infrastructure, technology and planning constraints are creating growing uncertainty about whether growth ambitions can be delivered at the pace required.
The findings form part of DHL’s forthcoming Capacity Crunch report, a research study based on a survey of 200 senior decision-makers and in-depth interviews with sector leaders. The research examines where capacity constraints are emerging, how businesses are responding, and what the implications could be for cost, service and future investment.
Early findings reveal that:
- 70% of organisations have experienced increased demand over the last two years.
- 78% expect a capacity crunch to emerge within the next 24 months.
- Only 10% are very confident their current capacity plans will support future growth ambitions.
The research points to a common challenge. Businesses are investing, hiring and adopting new technologies, but many of the biggest barriers to growth sit outside their direct control. Skills shortages, infrastructure limitations and regulatory delays are increasingly becoming constraints on growth across some of the UK’s most strategically important sectors.
The full Capacity Crunch report will be published soon, providing deeper insight into where these pressures are most acute, what leaders are doing to prepare, and what needs to change if the UK is to meet its long-term growth ambitions.
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