11 November 2021
UK printing industry moves closer to pre-Covid levels as recovery gathers strength in Q3
Growth to continue in Q4 amidst mounting supply constraints and cost pressures.
The UK printing and printed packaging industry continues to rebound - a majority of companies improved their performance in Q3, and many expect to see further improvements in Q4. 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. As expected Q3 has experienced continued growth and increased activity levels; this trend is forecast to continue in Q4 - despite challenges in the supply chain and significant input price inflation.
The latest Printing Outlook survey reveals that 59% of printers managed to increase their output levels in the third quarter of 2021. A further 33% were able to hold output steady, whilst the remaining 8% suffered a decline in output. The resulting balance (the difference between the ups and the downs) was +51, a slight improvement from +45 in Q2, and well above the Q3 forecast (+37). The largest reported output balance for 14 years shows that the printing and printed packaging industry is recovering following a lengthy spell of curtailed production.
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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