2 August 2021
Strong recovery in UK printing industry in Q2 but activity still short of pre-Covid levels
Q3 improvements expected despite intense cost pressures, pings and holidays.
The forecasted strong recovery in the UK printing and printed packaging industry was realised in Q2 and is expected to carry into Q3 - though at a slightly lower rate as holidays and isolation pings disrupt the revival. The Covid-19 outbreak hit at the end of Q1, Q2 bore the brunt of the impact and whilst Q3 exhibited a recovery, of sorts, Q4 experienced a halt on that recovery path and Q1 saw some moderate improvements as an equilibrium was achieved between the ups and the downs. It has taken until Q2 this year for significant improvements in workloads to come through, now the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions are being lifted and more of the economy is opening-up. Q3 is expected to see continued growth and increased activity levels.
The latest Printing Outlook survey reveals that 58% of printers managed to increase their output levels in the second quarter of 2021. A further 29% were able to hold output steady, whilst the remaining 13% suffered a decline in output. The resulting balance (the difference between the ups and the downs) was +45, a significant jump up from -1 in Q1, and only a little short of the Q2 forecast (+50). The largest report output balance for seven-and-a-half years has ensured that output has now returned to the positive zone (where more companies report an improvement rather than a decline) after 15 months in negative territory.
DownloadsPay Review Data, Wage Benchmarking and Cost of Living – FEB 2024 UPDATE
14 February 2024
We have collated data from multiple sources that should be useful for BPIF members that are approaching internal pay reviews, and/or are having a closer look at their pay and benefits structure. The datafile, first published in February 2023, has been updated with the latest available data - and additional content on factors exerting pressure on pay settlements in 2024.
Slight recovery of output and orders falls short of expectations in Q4 - confidence concerns mount in 2024
22 February 2024
Performance in the UK's printing and printed packaging industry did improve in Q4, as far as output and orders are concerned. However, it didn't come close to what would historically be considered the seasonal norm, nor quite match the subdued expectations for Q4.
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