While electronics is, in its essence, a global business, it remains important for the UK to have a strong electronics sector – the recently updated ESCO figures show convincingly the reliance the UK has on electronics and related industries.
In some respects, Dialog can be viewed as a UK company; it is certainly headquartered here and has design centres dotted around the country. But it retains strong links with its German heritage; in particular, its shares are traded on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
A few years ago, an electronics industry leader contended that it didn’t matter where production took place; the important thing was where the IP resided. And his view was that, as long as the IP was held in the UK, things were fine.
So let’s celebrate a strengthening of the UK’s IP portfolio. But it will be interesting to see how UKplc benefits in the long term from Dialog's deal.
