News Archive

Manufacturing news

March 2007

Bidding for Alliance Boots hots up

Shares in Alliance Boots surged this morning on the news of an increased takeover bid from Kohlberg Kravis Roberts.
30 Mar 2007 10:49

Boost for SME manufacturers

Industry and regions minister Margaret Hodge today announced a step forward for the Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) while on a visit to Sheffield today.
29 Mar 2007 16:51

DTI’s Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) ups its game

The DTI’s Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) upped its game today, announcing an extended range of help to small and medium sized manufacturing firms.
29 Mar 2007 14:19

Ford announces UK foundry closure

In a surprise announcement today, Ford said it is to close its Leamington Spa foundry with the loss of over 350 jobs.
29 Mar 2007 16:30

Qantas expands Airbus fleet

Australian airline Qantas is to buy nine Airbus 320 jetlines for its low-cost carrier Jetstar.
29 Mar 2007 9:33

Sirdar to sell off yarns operation

Knitting yarn and carpets group Sirdar confessed today that 2006 had been “very challenging” and that it is now resolved to sell off the yarns business.
29 Mar 2007 12:43

Sugar group back on track

British sugar and sweetener group Tate & Lyle has aid that trading was back in line with expectations and ahead of last year following its surprise profit warning in late January.
29 Mar 2007 17:02

Tate & Lyle will say more about Euro disposal soon

Sugar, sweeteners and industrial starches group Tate & Lyle said today that it would have more to say about the disposal it announced in October of its European food and industrial ingredients operation “within the next few weeks”.
29 Mar 2007 12:13

VT anticipates aircraft carrier order

Warships to schools builder VT Group told shareholders today that it had gained some notable successes in the second half of the year, and “was confident” of a manufacturing contract soon, following its Royal Navy aircraft carrier design work.
29 Mar 2007 14:07

Wiseman ‘in excellent shape’

Robert Wiseman Dairies said today it was “in excellent shape” and promised its suppliers a rise.
29 Mar 2007 12:56

Boots to cut 300 manufacturing jobs

High street chemist chain, Alliance Boots, has announced plans to cut 300 jobs at its Nottingham factory, after losing of a contract manufacturing arrangement for skincare products.
28 Mar 2007 12:30

Jaguar’s Browns Lane site is sold

Australian property giant, Macquarie Goodman, is to turn the majority of Jaguar’s Browns Lane site into a new office and warehousing park.
28 Mar 2007 11:20

Nanjing rolls out first MG

The first MG Rover has rolled off the production line in the Chinese city of Nanjing.
27 Mar 2007 11:17

Cheddar makes Dairy Crest smile

Trading for the year has been “in line with our expectations” said Utterly Butterly to Express Dairies milk group, Dairy Crest today.
26 Mar 2007 10:50

Tough year for Irn-bru

Irn-bru soft drinks maker A G Barr admitted today that it had experienced a tough year of uncomfortable change, but had emerged all the stronger.
26 Mar 2007 9:28

Uniq on the road to recovery

European chilled convenience food group Uniq said today it had “set out to achieve a great deal in 2006” and outlined some of the challenges it had faced.
26 Mar 2007 11:31

HP goes Dutch

The HP sauce factory in Birmingham has closed after more than 100 years at the site.
23 Mar 2007 9:46

Pay settlements stay at 3 pc

Manufacturing pay settlements are stable at three per cent according to the latest figures from EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation.
23 Mar 2007 15:38

Budget Focus Report

In a report that has characterised Chancellor Brown’s budget as promising little and delivering even less, Tom Vosa, head of market economics for Clydesdale Bank and Yorkshire Bank digs into the details of the budget.
22 Mar 2007 12:09

Halewood's journey of excellence

Manufacturers learn about the cultue change that has transformed Halewood into Ford's best manufacturing site.
22 Mar 2007 16:29

Inter Link Foods’ shares drop

Inter Link Foods sees shares drop by 60 per cent after announcing its second profit warning in five weeks.
22 Mar 2007 10:32

Budget 2007: corporation taxes cut

Chancellor Gordon Brown has used his eleventh Budget speech to the Commons to cut the basic rate of income tax from 22p to 20p as of next year.
21 Mar 2007 14:12

Peugeot car plant site sold

French carmaker Peugeot has confirmed it has sold the site of its former plant in Coventry to a property developer which says hundreds of new jobs could be created by new businesses
21 Mar 2007 9:17

A380 tours the US

The Airbus A380 arrives in New York in preparation for its voyage around the US.
20 Mar 2007 11:46

BAE/Carlyle split over subs deal

The bid to take control of Britain’s nuclear submarine industry took an unexpected turn at the weekend after reports emerged of a split between BAE Systems and American private equity firm Carlyle Group.
19 Mar 2007 10:38

Aga cooks up £65m divi

The sale of 20,000 cast iron cookers underpinned another good year at the company that boasts it “equips the world's best kitchens”.
16 Mar 2007 8:45

UK manufacturing employment falls below 3m

The number of people employed in UK manufacturing has finally dipped below the three million mark with official data recording the lowest figure for a generation.
16 Mar 2007 11:02

Cadbury Schweppes announces split

Cadbury Schweppes announced today that it intends to separate its confectionery and beverages businesses.
15 Mar 2007 15:53

Orders fly in for Cobham

The UK aerospace and defence company Cobham plc today reported a record order book and improved profits.
15 Mar 2007 12:36

Potter Portmeirion throws up sales and profits improvement

Outsourcing product manufacture and an improvement in UK manufacturing efficiency helped once troubled potter Portmeirion to increased sales and profits for 2006.
15 Mar 2007 13:39

HP protestor shows concern for UK industry

A retired policeman has made a stand against the move of HP Sauce’s Birmingham factory by barricading himself on the roof of the Aston Cross site.
14 Mar 2007 10:02

Sunseeker buys new south coast manufacturing site

Upmarket marine manufacturer Sunseeker International said today it had agreed terms with US-based Luhrs Marine for the purchase of its Legend Yacht manufacturing facilities at Osprey Quay, Portland on the South Coast.
14 Mar 2007 9:15

UK household name targeted for US takeover

US businessman buys three per cent stake in Cadbury Schweppes; pushing shares up by 10 per cent.
14 Mar 2007 10:05

Climate Change Bill must pass 'competitiveness test', say manufacturers

Britain’s manufacturers have welcomed today's draft Bill on Climate Change but urged the Government to continue the pursuit of a phased and flexible approach to hitting targets for reductions in emissions.
13 Mar 2007 14:37

Ford sells £479m Aston Martin

Aston Martin is to return to British ownership after 20 years in the hands of US automotive giant Ford Motor.
12 Mar 2007 10:47

Manufacturing output figures underline sector's fragility

The fragile nature of manufacturing’s recovery was undelined by the latest government output figures which show the year kicking off with a 0.2 per cent fall for the month of January.
12 Mar 2007 9:09

Rexam to sell its glass business for £449 million

Rexam, the global consumer packaging company, is to divest its entire glass business and concentrate resources on higher growth and emerging markets.
12 Mar 2007 9:01

EADS results burdened by Airbus A380 delays

Profits at Airbus’ Franco-German parent EADS were severely dented by losses at its troubled trans-European plane-making business, it emerged today.
09 Mar 2007 11:19

Amicus/T&G merger may lead to global union

In a move that may herald a single global trade union, manufacturing workers heard today they are to have a new union from May.
08 Mar 2007 16:49

Corus shareholders back Tata deal

Corus shareholders have overwhelmingly voted to accept a £5.75 billion takeover offer from Indian firm Tata Steel.
08 Mar 2007 10:07

Interest rates expected to stay on hold

Manufacturers are hoping for a second month's reprieve when the Bank of England announces the outcome of its latest meeting on interest rates at midday.
08 Mar 2007 9:48

Manufacturers welcome interest rate freeze

Manufacturers today welcomed the Bank of England’s decision to keep interest rates on hold at 5.25 per cent but were warned that a hike was still on the horizon.
08 Mar 2007 14:58

Minimum wage increased

Low paid workers operating on the bottom rungs of manufacturing industries will be among those to benefit from the latest increase in the minimum wage announced today.
07 Mar 2007 12:23

Premier Foods serves up hot profits

Rice pudding to pickles group Premier Foods today hailed 2006 as “a year of transition” as it served up healthy sales and profits.
06 Mar 2007 10:47

Profits dent for black cab maker Manganese Bronze

The cost of selling off its stock of its old model and tooling up for the new-style London taxi dented cab-maker Manganese Bronze’s half year profits as the leading manufacturer of the distinctive black cab continues to look to China for future growth.
06 Mar 2007 10:27

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