EEF NW comment on IoP data

Darrell Matthews

Commenting on today’s IoP data, Darrell Matthews, North West Region Director at EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, said: “As a number of business surveys have so far suggested, manufacturing entered 2014 with a fair wind behind it with a majority of sub-sectors posting gains on the month.

"While the picture isn’t universally positive, strength seen in sectors from machinery and transport to plastics and non-metallic minerals suggest there are a number of factors driving growth in the sector, including improving investment intentions and a brighter construction outlook.

"The sector is on track for a fourth consecutive quarter of growth as we forecast a 0.8% output increase in 2014q1.”

Output across manufacturing was up 0.4% in January, pushing the year on year pace of expansion up to 2.2%.

EEF will be publishing it’s Q1 manufacturing outlook survey on Monday 17 March.