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Manufacturing News – Early July 2024

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Manufacturers in the North West have seen one of the highest increases in output of any English region or devolved nation in the last decade, as well as one of the best recoveries in output since the pandemic, according to a new report).

The Make UK/BDO Annual Regional Manufacturing Outlook report shows that since 2013 output in the region has increased by more than a quarter (26%), while output in 2023 was 12% above the pre-pandemic levels recorded in 2019, also one of the best in the UK.


The three devolved nations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have seen a significant growth in the number of manufacturing jobs in the last year, in contrast to every English region bar the East of England which has seen a fall.

The findings come in the Make UK/BDO Annual Manufacturing Outlook Report which shows that, in the 12 months to March 2024, the number of manufacturing jobs in Wales increased by 13,000, 10,000 in Scotland and 2,000 in Northern Ireland. By contrast, every English region saw a fall manufacturing jobs in the same period with the East of England being the only region showing a slight rise. This meant the sector saw an overall fall of 34,000 jobs in the twelve months to March.


Manufacturers are shifting from scanning to planning—placing renewed focus on modelling scenarios amid geopolitical, economic, and social disruptions.  

The latest research from enterprise planning technology provider Board, reveals that manufacturers are placing a renewed focus on scenario planning in response to a volatile business landscape.

According to the Board 2024 Global Planning Survey, 70% of manufacturers (all industries: 71%) are taking planning more seriously, with the Ukraine war, cost-of-living crisis, and ongoing supply chain disruptions acting as key catalysts.


The UK manufacturing upturn continued at the end of the second quarter, according to the latest figures from S&P Global.

June saw output and new orders both expand for the second successive month, with rates of expansion remaining close to the highs reached in May. There was a modest upswing in cost inflationary pressures, with input prices rising at the quickest pace since January 2023.

The seasonally adjusted S&P Global UK Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index™ (PMI®) registered 50.9 in June, down slightly from May’s 22-month high of 51.2 and below the earlier flash estimate of 51.4. The PMI has posted above the neutral 50.0 mark – signalling expansion – in each of the past two months.


The Materials Processing Institute has received a £4.2m investment as part of the groundbreaking EconoMISER programme, new CEO Terry Walsh has announced.

The Teesside-based Institute is a key member of the Foundation Industries Sustainability Consortium (FISC) tasked with delivering the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funded initiative to scale-up sustainable technologies.


UK product developers and engineers are taking a slower approach to implementing artificial intelligence (AI) compared to their European counterparts, according to new research conducted by digital manufacturer Protolabs.

Less than 40% of UK respondents in a survey of 392 manufacturers, engineers, and product developers said they are planning to implement the technology within their businesses, compared to 71% of French, 50% of Germans, and 44% of Italians.

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