UK manufacturing getting worse more slowly UK manufacturing is showing some signs of improvement in export orders, thanks to the weak pound, but total orders remain low. Export orders are higher than normal at 14 per cent of firms but below normal at 38 per cent of companies, according to a CBI survey. That gives a balance of -23 per cent - which is the least negative …
I love it when the government boasts about how things are getting worse less quickly, but I'm waiting for them to mention the fifth differential.
"OK, unemployment is still rising, and the rate at which it is rising is still going up, as is the rate at which the rate at which unemployment is rising, but the fourth differential of unemployment ... well, OK, that's rising too, but the fifth differential looks as if it might be levelling off!"
"Made in Britain already sounds better than the quality of Japanese automotive manufacturing."
Made in Britain by Honda ? Made in Britain by Tata ?
Audi had a similar issue in the US a couple of years ago and it turned out Americans were challenged to operate cars. It was not Audi's fault.
Last time I checked there was zero British-owned car companies and the US ones were rescued by the tune of dozens of billions.
Toyota still is much more healthy than most car companies around the globe and American lawyers and media whores won't change that on the long run.
The UK hasn't had a manufacturing sector worth a damn since the 70s (e.g., Alan Sugar is our equivalent to Steve Jobs...), hence the necessity of the huge bail-out to the financial sector where most of the UK economy lies.
What is made in the UK is generally made for non-UK companies/investors, which sees most of the profit leaving the UK and most of us in the UK not caring since manufacturing is so small as to not be worth noticing. Likely the only significant assembly happening in the UK are ready meals, but that is more catering than manufacturing.
Mr James Dyson (the only British manufacturing success since the 70s) does offer hope:
* http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2004/12_december/09/dyson.shtml
And considering the UK invented the computer it would be nice for some active support of the IT sector in the UK (especially games dev companies), because as with manufacturing, the UK is in danger of slipping in to second-world status where the workforce is exploited and all profit exported.Where was the software scrapage scheme?
What % of Toyota vehicles are still on the road in good working condition 20 years after manufacturing?
What % of GMs claims the same?
How much $ for maintenance, (both for parts and labour) were required on average to keep a vehicle from either manufacturer going for 20 years.
Total cost of ownership is the metric that matters to me.
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