Construction manufacturers hope to end year on a high

摘要

Construction products manufacturing returned to business as usual in Q3 after the weather-related pauses and subsequent catch-up in the first half of the year. Britain's £56bn industry is cautiously optimistic that the year will finish strong, with sales anticipated to pick-up in Q4. The Construction Products Association's latest State of Trade survey reveals that product sales, which act as an early indicator of wider activity in the UK construction supply chain, increased in 2018 Q3. For heavy side manufacturers, 27% reported that sales increased; this was below the 40 percent that reported a rise in sales in a weather-boosted Q2, but in line with the average survey balance for 2017. On the light side, which includes products such as insulation, boilers, glass and lighting, 27% of manufacturers also reported that sales rose, marking the first increase of 2018.