Subcontracting holds steady

The UK market for contract manufacturing remains healthy and stable according to the latest Contract Manufacturing Index (CMI).

The index reveals that the market is still 30% up on a year ago, and although there has been a slight dip from the previous quarter of 5%, the overall market looks to be holding steady. The index stood at 226 compared to 238 in the first quarter of this year, and 174 in the second quarter of 2017.
Within the headline figure there has been a shift in the make-up of the market, with fabrication now standing at 56% of the total and machining on 35%. Just three months ago, machining represented 38% and fabrication 51%, and whereas fabrication rose consistently through the quarter, machining rose from April to May but then levelled off in June.
Compared with the equivalent quarter in 2017, fabrication is up 69%, machining down 4%.
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