Staff levels rise as manufacturing output grows

Rising levels of new orders and companies’ efforts to build their stocks saw manufacturing production increase for the 17th successive month in October.

In the sharpest increase since May, Irish manufacturing firms again took on additional staff last month.

Commenting on Investec’s latest manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), Investec Ireland chief economist Philip O’Sullivan said that the quantity of purchases index showed that three times more manufacturing firms stepped up their input buying than reported a reduction last month.