High-value manufacturing and research and development (R&D) generate billions of pounds through UK innovation. From aerospace laboratories to advanced biotech facilities, these sectors not only create wealth but also provide national security advantages. But where there is value, there are those who seek to steal.
In the last two years, there have been stark examples of sabotage and espionage attacks.
Supply Chain Disruption
In July 2024, a DHL warehouse in Birmingham suffered a potential disaster. Hidden among the consignments was an incendiary device, designed to cause catastrophic damage. Investigators believe the goal was significant disruption rather than just destruction.
High-value manufacturers rely on precision supply chains; A strategic fire could stall production lines, derail testing, and cost millions. Read more: The Guardian.
Theft of Knowledge
But it isn’t only warehouses that are under threat. In 2024, MI5 warned UK universities that sensitive research was vulnerable to exploitation if not securely stored. From aerospace prototypes to biotech breakthroughs, intellectual property worth billions is being targeted. Once stolen, it can be replicated abroad, eroding the UK’s competitive edge before it even hits the market.
The Spy Next Door
In May 2024, Reuters reported that three men posing as maintenance workers attempted to install surveillance equipment inside a UK residence linked to the Hong Kong Trade Office. Using a snake camera to peer under a door, they sought entry for Hong Kong’s intelligence service. The method was crude, but the intent was sophisticated: gain access, gather secrets, and do it under the cover of trust.
It also highlights a broader truth: surveillance doesn’t stop at the workplace gate. Employees in sensitive roles can be followed from work to home, with attackers probing for weaknesses in both professional and personal environments.
State Actors at Work
Only weeks earlier, another espionage plot was disrupted. A Russian-backed network in London had planned to torch a Ukraine-linked business, in what prosecutors described as a state-sponsored sabotage campaign. Sabotage can be as simple as a fire, yet its consequences can stretch into geopolitics. Read more: CPS.gov.uk.
Everyday Espionage
Whilst this sounds like it belongs to the world of defence contracts, no sector is too small or too niche to be targeted. In France, vineyards are infiltrated by competitors looking to steal fermentation techniques and soil data.
The UK government estimates espionage drains “tens of billions” from the economy annually (BEIS/NPSA).
- Parliamentary evidence warns that sabotage could cause irreversible damage to supply chains and exports.
- A 2025 survey by the Global Payroll Association (GPA) found that 1 in 10 UK office workers had been approached for corporate espionage. Only 1% admitted to sharing information, but just 15% reported the approach, leaving a dangerous gap in awareness and accountability.
Protecting Innovation and Property
For leaders in high-value manufacturing and R&D, these cases should be heeded as warnings. Protecting innovation requires:
- Adopting NPSA Guidance to secure labs, prototypes, and logistics.
- Ethical hacking/Vulnerability testing to identify weaknesses before others do.
- Counter-Surveillance Technical Measures (CSTM) such as sweepers, sensors, and access control.
- Auditing and Stress-Testing supply chains and facilities.
- Training Staff to recognise and report suspicious approaches, including the possibility of being followed beyond the workplace.
Conclusion
The threats of sabotage and espionage are real, varied, and persistent. It rarely happens with any warning. The real question for high-value manufacturing and R&D leaders is whether your organisation has the know-how and capability to protect future innovations.