UK manufacturing recovery gathers pace - Capsule-group.com

NEWS
UK manufacturing
recovery gathers
pace
1 � establish an environment that
allows manufacturing to be competitive,
provide specific support to midmarket
manufacturers and create
and support investment in emerging
technologies but without forgetting
the needs of the traditional manufacturer.
“But, British manufacturers have
never waited for, or relied on,
politicians and regulators to initiate
change. The emerging economies
Rob McCord, head of national
accounts at Flogas, commented
on his company’s presence at the
Plant & Works Exihibiton: “The
Plant & Works Exhibition provided
us with a great way to introduce
our newly launched New Energy
division to the manufacturing and
commercial sector.
“We were busy throughout the
show and received some really
positive feedback on our New
Energy offering, which provides
companies looking to switch from
oil to LPG with a cost-effective way
in which they can save money,
reduce their carbon emissions and
meet the government targets
required of them. It was also a
great chance for us to discuss the
6 JUNE 2010 PLANT&WORKSENGINEERING
provide a huge opportunity for UK
manufacturing. Those businesses
who understand their core
capabilities and who work hard to
nurture them whilst adapting to the
rapidly evolving international
marketplace could see growth on an
unprecedented scale.”
Over the last three months both
output and new order balances were
at record levels of +30% and +34%
respectively (up from 8% and 2% in
Q1.)
The improvement in the orders
balances have been driven by
improvements in both UK and export
markets. The balance on export
A wide variety of new products were on
show at this year’s Plant & Works, Drives &
Controls, Air-Tech, and IFPEX Exhibitions
Manufacturing event
hits the right notes
Industry professionals were able to gain the broadest insight concerning
what industry solutions are currently available on the market at the
recent Drives & Controls, Plant & Works, Air-Tech and IFPEX Exhibitions
at the NEC, Birmingham between 8-10 June 2010.
ever-changing energy needs of the
manufacturing industry with its
representatives face-to-face.”
Ian Atkinson, managing director
of DFA Media - event organiser -
explained DFA’s co-located shows
have shown “significant growth
despite tough conditions for
manufacturers, highlighting
industry’s continuing
commitment to support these
important events during the
downturn”. The total number of
exhibitors for the combined
shows were up from 221 to 234
(6% growth), with net metreage
up by 4.7%.
An in depth review of the colocated
events will appear in PWE
next month.
orders of +23% is the highest on
record. The balance on UK orders
also rose to +24%, also a record with
the improving picture reflected
across all sectors and regions.
Responses on employment over
the past three months also turned
positive in the second quarter and a
balance of 15% of companies
expect to recruit in Q3.
Looking forward companies expect
the positive outlook to continue with
respective balances of +22% of
firms expecting increased output
and +20% expecting increased
orders.
EEF forecasts predict 3.5% growth
The Prime Minister announced
that the Rt Hon Lord Young of
Graffham would undertake a
Whitehall-wide review of the
operation of health and safety
laws and the growth of the
compensation culture.
Tom Mullarkey, chief executive
of RoSPA, said: “We welcome this
review and hope it will get to the
bottom of concerns about health
and safety once and for all,
considering facts as well as
people’s opinions.
“RoSPA believes that there is
nothing essentially wrong with the
Health and Safety at Work Act,
which dates back to 1974 and
has proportionality at its heart.
The problem is in its application.
Good safety is all about good
judgement - avoiding the
intolerable, ignoring the trivial
and, in between, getting the
balance right between risk and
the cost of precautions. In the
workplace, ‘health and safety
culture’ is a good thing, saving
lives, preventing injuries and
helping to cut costs and promote
efficiency.
“In practice, however, many
people are getting the balance
wrong. Some are going too far
EVENTS PLANNER
8 – 9 September
The Energy Event 2010
National Motorcycle Museum,
Birmingham
www.theenergyevent.com
in manufacturing both this year and
next as output recovers from the
depths of the recession. Engineering
output, which fell by 15% in 2009, is
expected to grow by 6.4% in 2010.
Manufacturing saw similar surges in
activity following the 1980s and
1990s recessions.
RoSPA welcomes
H&S law review
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has welcomed the
announcement of a review into health and safety law and practice.
(although many stories about
over-the-top safety turn out on
examination to be myths). In
many other cases, people are still
being hurt in easily preventable
accidents because not enough is
being done to ensure safety. In
general, the latter is still a bigger
problem than the former in our
view. Let’s not forget that
accidents are the principal cause
of death among under-35s and
that the number of people dying
in accidents is going up - the
figure currently stands at around
13,500 accidental deaths each
year in the UK. There is no room
for complacency.
“RoSPA has previously called for
a permanent body to investigate
and take action on
disproportionate health and
safety issues, and we welcome
this review as an important first
step. The problem of getting
safety right is one that needs to
be solved through education not
more legislation.
“Good research evidence rather
than anecdotage is needed to
establish the extent of problems
in this field and to help identify
possible solutions. As ever, RoSPA
stands ready and willing to help.”