In October, British manufacturing output rose to 55.5 on the Markit/CIPS UK Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), which represents the highest figure recorded for 16 months.
The figure highlights strong growth in the sector since a 51.8 figure was recorded in September, which is partly due to a major recovery in exports.
Economic growth for the UK is now expected to pick up during the last three months of the year, as a result of the positive news, though some are waiting for the next figures from the services sector before making any economic predictions.
Some analysts have suggested that the pace of growth will be twice as fast in the run up to the end of the year when compared to the rate for the third quarter.
Rob Dobson, senior economist at Markit, said: “The survey is consistent with a quarterly rate of growth of around 1 percent, a vast improvement on what we have seen in recent months.
“The revival of overseas sales is a particularly encouraging aspect of the latest survey, helping to dispel fears that global demand is slumping and boding well for the outlook.”
However, despite the survey’s findings, it is contrasted by other reports relating to the state of the UK economy, with the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) stating only last week that factory orders had fallen to the lowest level seen for three years, during the three months to October.
In other positive news, more jobs are being created by the manufacturing sector, with the number of new positions being at the highest level for 12 months.