Fact Service August 2014

Issue 31

Factory output up, but running out of steam

Some of the steam went out of manufacturing output in the last quarter, according to official figures.

Factory output increased by 0.2% in the second quarter of 2014 compared with the first quarter, but was 3.3% higher than the same quarter 2013, the Office for National Statistics said.

Output increased in four of the 13 manufacturing subsectors. The manufacture of transport equipment increased by 3.1%, while the manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations increased by 2.4%. The other two sectors with increased output were: rubber and plastic products and non-metallic mineral products with a 0.9% increase and the manufacture of food products, beverages and tobacco, where output increased by 0.6%.

The largest downward contributions came from the manufacture of basic metals and metal products and the manufacture of machinery and equipment not elsewhere classified — both of which posted a 1.5% decrease — while the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products decreased by 5.3%.

The production industries (manufacturing, mining and utilities) posted a 0.3% quarter-on-quarter increase, while production output was up by 2.1% on the same quarter of 2013.

www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_373124.pdf