Construction Product Manufacturing report suggests caution remains for 2020

27 January 2020


Mixed Q4 results for the construction products manufacturing sector with an equal number of manufacturers reporting an increase or decrease in sales for both heavy side and light side products.

The Construction Products Association’s (CPA) State of Trade Survey reports that 43% of heavy side manufacturers reported a rise or fall in sales compared to Q3. Sales of light side products were reported to have either increased or decreased by 36% of manufacturers.

Manufacturers retain a positive, yet cautious view for the next 12 months. On balance, 21% of heavy side firms and 29% of light side firms anticipated a rise in sales for the year ahead. This was combined with the majority of product manufacturers anticipating that headcount would remain unchanged over the same period.

Other key survey findings include: A balance of only 8% of heavy side firms anticipated an increase in their labour force over the year ahead; Demand was cited as the factor most likely to constrain output over the next year, according to 71% of respondents on both the heavy side and light side.