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- Jo Faragher
British manufacturing companies will increase their hiring levels thanks to a three-year peak in business activity, according to a survey from manufacturing trade body EEF and accountancy firm BDO.
Output from manufacturing firms reached its highest level in three years in the last quarter, with orders matching levels last seen in 2010. The rebound is being led by a stronger domestic market, and is based across a broad range of sectors, the survey reported.
Smaller companies are driving recruitment in the manufacturing sector, according to EEF and BDO, with a small percentage of larger companies reporting a decrease in employment levels in the past three months. Overall, a balance of 12% of companies reported a rise in employment for the quarter, up from 11% in the quarter before.
The best performing sector in terms of recruitment was rubber and plastics, which had the strongest positive employment balance at 30%.
Ms Lee Hopley, chief economist at EEF, said: “Industry’s prospects have brightened considerably in the past few months, and it’s particularly positive that improving trading conditions will continue into the final months of this year, and then accelerate through the gears in 2014.”
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