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UK MANUFACTURING PRODUCTIVITY INDEX
A QUARTERLY LOOK AT THE UK'S MANUFACTURING PERFORMANCE.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Q4 2024 UPDATE
Strong final quarter for food pushed UK manufacturing output to £609bn in 2024
According to our analysis of the latest ONS data. A substantial increase in food production made Q4 2024 the best on record for UK manufacturers, which delivered output worth £155.6 billion in the three months to December. Previously, the best quarter for UK manufacturing was Q2 2023, when UK manufacturers produced output worth £153.9 billion.
The value of food production (£28.4 billion) was 8.3% higher in Q4 2024 than in the same period of 2023, partly due to productivity gains worth £2.15 billion.
Increased food output pushed the total value of UK manufacturing output in 2024 to £609.2 billion, above that for 2023 (£607.6 billion). This 0.26% increase in production was lower than growth in previous years and was achieved despite a 19,000 reduction in the number of people in the UK manufacturing workforce.
Q4 2024 UK HEADLINE PERFORMANCE
Source: Office of National Statistics & FourJaw Manufacturing Analytics 2025.UK MANUFACTURING PRODUCTIVITY INDEX
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"UK manufacturers have remained resilient in the face of significant headwinds. They focused on what they could influence and boosted output and productivity in perhaps the most challenging year since 2020.”
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Subsector output and productivity
- A substantial increase in food production made Q4 2024 the best on record for UK manufacturers, which delivered output worth £155.6 billion in the three months to December. Previously, the best quarter for UK manufacturing was Q2 2023, when UK manufacturers produced output worth £153.9 billion.
- The value of food production (£28.4 billion) was 8.3% higher in Q4 2024 than in the same period of 2023, partly due to productivity gains worth £2.15 billion.
- While output in other manufacturing subsectors was lower in Q4 2024 than Q4 2023, several reversed a summer slump in activity to grow again the final in three months of the year.
- The value of motor vehicles & transport equipment produced in the UK increased by £4.48 billion between Q3 and Q4 2024, recording a 15.9% increase in productivity.
- UK manufacturers producing computer, electronic & electrical products boosted output by £578 (5.7%) million between Q3 and Q4 2024.
- Output for UK manufacturers specialising in textiles, apparel & leather products, paper, paper products & printed material, and metals, metal products & machinery also increased by around 1% quarter-on-quarter.
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Subsector Productivity Performance
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Manufacturing Productivity Index | CEO VIEWPOINT
Chris Iveson, CEO and Co-Founder of FourJaw Manufacturing Analytics provided his thoughts and perspective following the release of Q4's manufacturing productivity index.
"Despite skills shortages and a shrinking workforce, UK manufacturers continue to deliver growth and drive productivity with technology. This is a sector to be proud of."
HOW MUCH MORE PRODUCTIVE COULD YOUR FACTORY BE?
Manufacturing productivity can have a huge impact on a business's overall operational performance, competitiveness and profitability.
It is a key performance indicator that is just as important a 'health barometer' to an individual business as it is to the UK manufacturing sector as a whole.
There are various strategies that manufacturers can employ to increase productivity. One approach is to invest in technology and automation, which can streamline processes and lead to a reduction in manual labour, fewer errors, and increased production speed.
In addition, efficient supply chain management, minimising waste, and adopting sustainable practices all contribute to overall productivity. Regular evaluation and optimisation of workflows, along with fostering a positive work environment, can also have a significant impact.
When manufacturers proactively use FourJaw’s technology, they can achieve productivity gains of anywhere between 10-20% which can increase output capacity by as much as 30%.
Across the entire UK manufacturing sector, that would be a productivity boost of £61bn.
For a manufacturer producing £4.5m worth of goods this year, that means the ability to get £1.3m more output in 2025 from their existing machines, people and production lines.
Methodology
FourJaw Manufacturing Productivity Index
FourJaw’s data team analysed a range of data provided by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) to create a rolling five-year picture of output and productivity for the whole UK manufacturing sector and at the subsector and company level. Sources included the ONS’s Index of Production and producer price inflation datasets, and UK business activity, size and location statistical bulletins. FourJaw calculated productivity levels by adjusting output figures in line with the corresponding inflation rate. Company and employee level figures are averages based on the value of output and productivity per assumed active UK manufacturer at the time. Performance where indexed is indexed to Q1 2023 levels.