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News Release from: Reed Exhibitions (UK)
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 11 December 2002
Survey shows encouraging signs
The latest Reed Exhibitions UK electronics manufacturing survey provides encouraging signs of an upward trend in production volumes across the industry.
The latest Reed Exhibitions UK electronics manufacturing survey provides encouraging signs of an upward trend in production volumes across the industry Nearly half the companies questioned reported an increase in production over the last six months, with confidence in the trend continuing until the summer of 2003 remaining very high
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 8 Nov 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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46% of companies reported an increase in unit production over the last six months, with 29% reporting a decrease.
When the last survey was taken in May 2002, only 42% of companies said that production had increased, with 33% reporting a decrease.
"This positive swing provides statistical evidence that manufacturing volumes are returning, which is great news for the industry", comments Nepcon Exhibition Director Justin Tadman, who commissioned the surveys.
58% of the sample also predicted that unit production will increase further over the coming six months, with only 13% predicting a reduction - confirmation that confidence in a resurgence in the industry remains high.
"There are further positive results when looking at manufacturing capacities", states Tadman.
"46% of companies reported utilising over 75% of their capacity since May, with 58% expecting this to be the case in the first half of 2003.
In fact, the number of companies operating at above 90% of capacity over the next six months is expected to increase by 54%".
In terms of capital expenditure, 23% of the sample reported an increase over the last six months, with 38% feeling that they will need to spend more before the summer.
"All of these figures verify the feeling among much of the industry that life is slowly being drip-fed back into it", says Tadman.
"This follows on from an extremely successful Nepcon event, which had a somewhat unique and positive atmosphere about it despite the long downturn the market has suffered".
When looking at individual market sectors, some are inevitably expected to fare better than others going into 2003.
The medical and security sectors are predicting the highest growth, while capital equipment purchases are predicted to be highest in the security, consumer equipment, communications and automotive sectors.
The survey covered 324 companies in the following sectors: contract manufacturing; communications; instrumentation; consumer electronics; automotive; IT; aerospace; and security.
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