This is from nearly ten years ago, but still relevant -
“
Are we in danger of losing manufacturing skills permanently to the Far East?
CK: We’re absolutely in danger. The tide’s been going that way for a long time. Will it ever come back? Absolutely it could, but at the moment the pace of the industry and the buying public’s consciousness means it’s going that way. Great Britain is a good example of having lost much of its industrial capabilities. We had the recession of course, and that flushed out a lot of journeymen, forcing people into early retirement. They’re not coming back, and they’ve taken their skills with them, skills that would normally be passed down to apprentices.
“
https://www.cyclist.co.uk/in-depth/chris-king-interview
Perhaps more relevant!