All English regions and the three devolved nations have seen manufacturing output rise back above 2019 levels for the first time, according to a report from Make UK.
Make UK, which represents UK manufacturers, and accountancy and business advisory firm BDO have published their annual Regional manufacturing outlook report. It marks the 11th annual review of manufacturing activity across UK regions and nations.
The standout takeaway from the report, based on the latest data on output to the end of 2023, is that all regions are back above 2019 levels.
The South West is the strongest performing region with output more than a quarter (27%) above 2019 levels. This was followed by the East of England (21%) and the North West, which had output up by a fifth.
According to the report, this is likely to have been driven by a surge in spending by the aerospace and defence sectors.
Output in the North West is likely to have been aided by increased production in the automotive sector following the post...