Manufacturing news
December 2002
New year message from CBI
The CBI, in its traditional new year message to the Government, says that 2003 will be a crucial year for government-business relationships.
30 Dec 2002 18:40
No Christmas cheer for ailing business
Business failures in Britain are on the increase, according to a survey released today.
30 Dec 2002 18:38
South still leads the way
The south of England has again been confirmed as the financial and business centre of the country.
30 Dec 2002 18:39
Retailers disappointed with Christmas
High street stores are having a disappointing Christmas, despite the usual last-minute rush on Christmas Eve.
24 Dec 2002 20:37
Anite offloads ERP consultancy
The global IT solutions and services company Anite has offloaded its loss making German subsidiary Anite Consulting GmbH (ACG) to its management team for a nominal sum.
20 Dec 2002 13:20
ThyssenKrupp aims to earn 1.5bn euros
The German engineering and steel conglomerate ThyssenKrupp said today that it had “held up well” during its 2001/2002 financial year and was targeting “significant improvement” for 2002/2003.
20 Dec 2002 13:08
Fuel price scandal
New research shows that the price of petrol in the UK can vary by up to 12 pence a litre, depending on where you buy it.
19 Dec 2002 10:14
New Vodafone chief exec announced
Vodafone has appointed Arun Sarin, a 48 year old Indian-American, to succeed Sir Christopher Gent as chief executive.
19 Dec 2002 9:26
Pensions Green Paper response
Industry bodies have responded positively to the Government’s proposals on pensions.
18 Dec 2002 12:18
Cadbury Schweppes to take over Adams
Cadbury Schweppes announced today that it will acquire Adams confectionery from Pfizer for £2.7 billion ($4.2 billion).
17 Dec 2002 12:17
Euro entry tests will not be met next year
The UK will not pass the five economic tests required to join the euro by next year, says HBOS in its economic forecast published today.
17 Dec 2002 16:21
Inflation rate highest for four years
The RPI inflation rate increased to 2.6 per cent for the year to November 2002 – up from 2.1 per cent in October, according to the Office for National Statistics.
17 Dec 2002 12:18
CBI supports airport expansion
The CBI says three new runways will be needed in the southeast as part of a 30-year plan to expand UK airport capacity.
16 Dec 2002 10:26
Marconi agrees rescue deal
Marconi has reached agreement with its creditors on the repayment of its £4 billion debt.
16 Dec 2002 10:27
Pay awards reflect economic gloom
Pay awards in the manufacturing sector have fallen, according to a survey published today by the CBI.
16 Dec 2002 10:28
Final salary pension schemes closing rapidly
Manufacturing companies have been closing their final salary pension schemes to both new and existing members at an increasing rate over the last three years, according to a joint survey by the Engineering Employers Federation (EEF) and Aon Consulting.
13 Dec 2002 10:03
Murky Christmas for manufacturers
Manufacturing in the UK could be about to slip back into recession, according to figures released by the CBI yesterday.
13 Dec 2002 10:05
BAE Systems fears
Shares in BAE Systems are under pressure today after the company made a worrying announcement to the stock market last night.
12 Dec 2002 9:51
Land Rover cutting back on jobs
Land Rover is planning to cut up to 1,000 jobs at its Solihull plant in an effort to improve productivity.
12 Dec 2002 9:52
Energy gap to be plugged
The government’s proposals for British Energy came under close scrutiny yesterday as energy minister Brian Wilson faced the commons trade and industry select committee.
11 Dec 2002 11:50
Enquiry into employers' liability insurance
The Office of Fair Trading is to conduct a study into the market for employers’ liability insurance.
11 Dec 2002 18:00
Increase in stress at work
A Health and Safety Commission survey reveals that 33 million days were lost from work-related ill-heath in the past year, compared with 18 million in 1995, the last year for which comparable figures are available.
11 Dec 2002 12:15
Profit warnings on the rise
The latter half of the year has seen an alarming increase in profit warnings, adding fuel to the flames created by Gordon Brown’s revision of growth forecasts in the recent pre-budget statement.
11 Dec 2002 11:48
Monthly trade deficit reaches new depths
Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have revealed that the monthly trade deficit in goods for October is the biggest since records began in 1967.
10 Dec 2002 15:40
No legislation for training
You can’t legislate for training, the CBI warns the government in a report published today.
10 Dec 2002 16:27
P&O Trans European sold to Wincanton
P&O is to sell the majority of its contract logistics business Trans European to supply chain firm Wincanton for £152.5 million. Proceeds will go towards reducing P&O's £1.4 billion debt.
10 Dec 2002 13:23
Corus warns staff about ‘untenable’ plants
Steelmaker Corus has warned its employees that vital plants such as Llanwern will remain ‘untenable’ if restructuring doesn’t go ahead.
09 Dec 2002 10:38
Skills boost needed
Businesses must invest more in training to support the government’s £7 billion-a-year improvements to education for people aged 16 or over or face tough regulatory measures.
09 Dec 2002 10:39
Struggle continues for UK manufacturers
Britain’s manufacturing sector is still in decline according to the latest figures from The Office of National Statistics.
09 Dec 2002 10:37
Manufacturing output slumps
A drop in the production level of cars and pharmaceuticals led the way to an unexpectedly big slump in manufacturing output, according to the latest government figures published yesterday.
07 Dec 2002 13:47
Profit warning from Amec
Shares in engineering group Amec tumbled yesterday as the company issued an unexpected profits warning.
06 Dec 2002 10:42
Record year for new car sales
Further evidence of the consumer boom is revealed in the November figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
06 Dec 2002 10:40
UK and Europe move further apart
The European Central Bank cut half a point off interest rates in the eurozone economies yesterday, while the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee left UK rates unchanged at four per cent.
06 Dec 2002 10:44
Decision time on eurozone interest rate
The European Central Bank (ECB) meets today to decide whether to reduce interest rates to revive the beleaguered eurozone economies.
05 Dec 2002 11:02
Marconi interim results delayed again
Telecoms equipment group Marconi has postponed the release of its interim results for a second time.
05 Dec 2002 11:00
Merger loophole to be closed
The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) has announced proposals to outlaw merger accounting, to bring UK and European accounting practices in line with those used elsewhere in the world.
05 Dec 2002 10:58
Profits dive at Xansa
International business consulting, IT, outsourcing and business process management group Xansa saw sales decline and profits dive in the six months ending 31 October 2002, the company reported today.
05 Dec 2002 11:49
Engineering outlook gloomy
The EEF/RSM Robson Rhodes fourth quarter engineering outlook survey shows falling output and growing pessimism about the future.
04 Dec 2002 10:52
Inventors to share fruits of their own ideas?
The DTI and the patent office have launched a consultation with a view to updating Britain’s patent laws, in line with changes to the European Patents Convention.
04 Dec 2002 10:51
Social responsibility - the rhetoric and reality
According to a survey of 500 UK directors published today by the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr), many companies are not implementing effective policies to protect the environment or deliver equal opportunities.
04 Dec 2002 10:53
Manufacturing stagnates
The UK's manufacturing economy stagnated in November but contraction was avoided as output and orders saw some growth.
03 Dec 2002 9:57
More tech schools on the way
The EEF (Engineering Employers Federation) has welcomed the announcement by the Education Secretary Rt. Hon Charles Clarke MP of plans to expand the number of specialist technology schools.
03 Dec 2002 10:11
Sage profits up 11%
Realising the full potential of its CRM business will help provider Sage towards sustained, long-term growth, the supplier of accounting and business management software for SMEs said today as it announced its financial results for the year ended 30 September.
03 Dec 2002 11:27
Sunderland workers under euro threat
In an exclusive interview with The Manufacturer, Nissan's chief executive Dr Carlos Ghosn confirmed that Sunderland factory will fall into decline if Britain rejects the euro.
03 Dec 2002 9:51
BAE’s US contract
In a deal worth up to $650 million, BAE Systems will be announcing its latest contract to supply US forces with howitzers.
02 Dec 2002 10:21
Nissan in euro warning
Nissan warned yesterday that if Britain chooses not to join the euro next year, the car manufacturer will have no choice but to ask for government money to secure production of the Almera.
02 Dec 2002 10:18
UK economy's dreary outlook
According to recent research carried out by the CBI, the strength of the UK economy still remains doubtful regardless of signs of a pick-up in the service sector.
02 Dec 2002 10:20
Dons and manufacturers work
National competitiveness was the subject of the second annual summit for the Cambridge-MIT Institute (CMI). Held at the Institute of Civil Engineers, the event showcased the efforts of the industrial and the academic worlds, to increase the competitiveness of UK manufacturing.
01 Dec 2002 15:58
Heineken and IBM sign up with Rockwell
Rockwell - the $4 billion turnover, 22,000 employee automation giant - took the opportunity of its annual customer and partner jamboree last month to announce two new strategic alliances.
01 Dec 2002 15:57
High tech production facility for Scunthorpe
At a time when the news tends to feature site closure, there are companies breaking the mould. A new custom built 4000 square metres specialist electro-mechanical component manufacturing operation has been opened at Sawcliffe Industrial Park in Scunthorpe for Deltron-Emcon.
01 Dec 2002 15:59
INNOVATION
High gloss paint is out of this world
01 Dec 2002 10:37
Jubilee effect is working through economy
Official figures suggest that the UK economy grew faster than expected in the three months to September.
01 Dec 2002 21:01
MANUFACTURING
Virtual cigarette packet
01 Dec 2002 10:42
MANUFACTURING
CBI survey shows manufacturing outlook is still bleak
01 Dec 2002 10:39
ONYOUR SIDE
ARTHUR RICHARDSON, director of The South West Manufacturing Advisory Service (SWMAS), outlines the services available to the region’s manufacturers and sets out the organisation’s targets
01 Dec 2002 10:45
The East of England RCME opens in Basildon
The final piece of the government’s regional development jigsaw was put in place on 27 November by Alan Johnson, minister of state for employment relations, industry and regions, at the launch of the East of England Regional Centre for Manufacturing Excellence at Ford’s Dunton Technical Centre in Basildon.
01 Dec 2002 15:56
The fighters unite at the Manufacturing Alliance
You have to be a fighter if you’re in manufacturing! That is the message that came across clearly from the latest Manufacturing Alliance meeting which was held at the Institute of Directors in Pall Mall yesterday. Chaired by The Manufacturer’s editorial director, Ken Hurst, the event was attended by over 60 big hitters from the manufacturing arena, who brought the issue of the migration of UK manufacturing to life.
01 Dec 2002 16:01
Tiles slip
Pilkington’s Tiles shares slipped this morning after the company warned that losses this year will be ‘significantly greater than market expectations,’ because of difficult trading conditions.
01 Dec 2002 10:36
