Manufacturing growth remains strong, says IBEC

Employers group IBEC has welcomed today’s CSO figures that showed manufacturing output in August was 10.2% higher than August 2006.

“These figures continue to point to a strong performance by the manufacturing sector this year,” said IBEC chief economist David Croughan.

“Output in the first eight months of the year was up 7.7% on the same period of 2006; growth in the modern sector was 8.9% higher, and there was a solid 3.8% growth in the traditional sectors.

“There was strong growth in the food sector in August, thanks mainly to 'other foods' and dairy products."

“Output of wood and wood products had declined significantly since the first quarter of the year, reflecting the slowdown in the residential construction sector.

“Output in the modern sector was strong, especially in the recorded media and the office machinery and computer sectors. Output in the chemicals and pharmaceuticals sector is still solid, despite some fall back in the output of basic chemicals in August.”