Each day The Manufacturer compiles the top manufacturing news stories from around the web. To make your life a little easier, we trawl through all the major trade publications, broadsheets and business magazines to find you the most important manufacturing news each morning. Don't forget to bookmark this page and check back daily.
UK manufacturing PMI sinks to 9-month low
A gauge of British manufacturing activity released on Monday pointed to the sharpest contraction in nine months, as orders from domestic and foreign customers fell and ongoing supply chain disruption pushed up costs.
The S&P Global manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index sank to 48.0 in November from 49.9 in October – below an earlier estimate of 48.6 and the 50 level that divides growth from contraction. More via The Manufacturer
Record £1bn skills investment as BAE Systems set to recruit thousands more apprentices and graduates in 2025
BAE Systems is projecting a record number of young people in training in 2025 and the Company’s investment in education and skills is expected to reach £1bn since the start of the decade.
The Company is recruiting for more than 2,400 new apprentice, undergraduate and graduate roles in 2025, which will result in a record number of 6,500 in training, making up approximately 15% of its UK workforce. An anticipated £230m investment in education and skills next year will take the total amount spent on upskilling people across the UK since 2020 to beyond £1bn. More via The Manufacturer
UK manufacturing output rises despite smaller workforce
A smaller workforce helped UK manufacturers produce goods and materials worth £150.9bn in the third quarter of 2024, according to an analysis of ONS data by FourJaw Manufacturing Analytics. This was £1.9bn more than in Q3 2023, an increase of 1.2%.
FourJaw’s analysis, which informs its UK Manufacturing Productivity Index, reveals the value of output produced this summer was 1.2% lower than Q2 2024. Much of this was due to a 0.7% decline in the price of goods leaving factories in September. Adjusting for price fluctuations shows that Q3 2024 production levels were broadly similar to Q2. More via Vanguard
Babcock bolsters South Korean relations to grow global opportunities
Underlining its intent to build on strategic partnerships in the Republic of Korea, Babcock has signed two separate agreements with South Korean companies this week – Hanwha Ocean and Korea Aerospace Industries – to support the growth of global opportunities.
A Strategic Cooperation Agreement has been penned with Hanwha Ocean, the shipbuilding and offshore company, to further develop opportunities in the global naval market. More via Babcock International
Airbus delivers first A330neo for Malaysia Airlines
Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), the parent company of Malaysia Airlines, has taken delivery of its first A330neo. The A330-900, is the first of 20 to be leased from Avolon by MAG, setting new standards for fuel efficiency and passenger experience.
MAG’s A330neo is configured with a premium two-class layout, featuring 297 seats, with 28 fully-flat Business Class suites and an all-new Economy cabin accommodating 269 passengers. Passengers will enjoy more personal space throughout, with larger overhead storage, improved air quality and the latest in-flight entertainment and high-speed Wi-Fi connectivity. More via Airbus
