A new survey from the CBI says manufacturers are seeing order books weaken as a result of the continuing instability in the Eurozone.

Raw material costs and shortages are driving manufacturers to make ‘radical’ changes to how they work, according to a survey released by EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation and RBS.

The survey shows that almost half of companies have redesigned products or processes in response to rising materials prices and 40% admitted to substituting some inputs with cheaper alternatives. Nearly two-thirds of companies have sought different sourcing options with just over 4…

Do you think the government is doing enough to support UK manufacturing? Find out what business secretary Vince Cable and shadow secretary John Denhma have to say on the subject in the new Financial Times video Firing up British manufacturing. As the government attempts to rebalance the UK economy towards manufacturing, debate arounf industrial policy has moved high up the political agenda. But will regional growth programmes and…

The verdict is still out on the prospects for the UK economy, according to Andrew Cook, chairman of William Cook Holdings, interviewed this week in the Yorkshire Post. But he is confident about the future for the family-owned steel castings manufacturer, which is investing £5 million in its Leeds site and expects to create up to 150 skilled jobs across the group this year.

Cook says the new…

Posted by guest blogger, David Raistrick UK manufacturing industry leader for Deloitte, based in Leeds

The number of manufacturing companies falling into administration in the first quarter of this year declined by 18 per cent to 86 compared with 105 in the same period last year, according to research by Deloitte, the business advisory firm. 

David Raistrick, UK manufacturing industry leader based at Deloitte in Leeds, comments:

“The…

The manufacturing recovery continues with home and overseas sales growing at their fastest for 15 years, according to the latest CBI survey.
 
The survey reports 36% of manufacturers seeing output increase in the last three months and only 15% reporting falls.
 
Companies are also predicting output growth remaining at the same pace with domestic and export orders forecast to grow above their long term averages.

With great play being made of manufcturing’s role in helping to ‘rebalance’ the UK economy, the Financial Times has launched a new video series looking at what qualities the companies of the future will need. The series opens with UK manufacturing editor Peter Marsh visiting Xiros, the Leeds-based pioneers in artificial ligaments. Marsh talks to chairman and technical director Bahaa Seedhom and explores the company’s relationship with academia,…

Recession, according to economist Dennis Turner, is the time when even those people who had no intention of paying you stop buying. The most recent recession may be over and, while those who still have no intention of paying may be placing orders again, the more serious issue the economy faces is how we are going to pay our way as a country.

According to Turner, chief economist…

Posted by guest blogger, David Raistrick UK manufacturing industry leader for Deloitte, based in Leeds

Despite another oil crisis looming, a recent survey carried out by Deloitte show that mass adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is still a distance away.  According to the survey, only 16 per cent of European consumers identify themselves as potential first movers, while 53 per cent say they might be willing to consider…

Blog from Jason Whitworth, partner and manufacturing expert based at BDO in Leeds

There’s no denying the region’s manufacturing businesses have had a tough time, but we are starting to see Yorkshire’s resilient nature pay off, as more companies report signs of improving demand and are looking to the future with greater confidence about prospects for recovery.

We have seen a larger than expected improvement in output and…