Boost to factory output

Manufacturing output posted a healthy rise in the three months to April.

Output was up by 2.0% on the previous three months and by 4.0% on the same period 2013.

There were increases on the previous three months in eight of the 13 subsectors. The manufacture of rubber, plastic products and other non-metallic mineral products increased by 4.5%, while the manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products increased by 4.2%.

There was a 3.7% increase in output in both the manufacture of food, beverages and tobacco and the manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations.

The manufacture of transport equipment posted a 3.4% increase.

The biggest decrease of the five subsectors, where output was down, was in coke and refined petroleum products with a 9.0% fall.

The more volatile figures showed manufacturing output increased by 0.4% between March and April, the fifth consecutive increase since November 2013.

For the production industries (manufacturing, energy and utilities), output was up by 1.1% in the three months to April compared with the previous three months and 2.6% up on the same period last year. The more volatile figures showed an increase of 0.4% between March and April.

www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_366055.pdf